


Trick Of Fate

by scb17



Category: Figure Skating RPF, Olympics RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 09:25:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 46,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1505270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scb17/pseuds/scb17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I decided to write another story...this one is full of drama and angst, and *very* heart-wrenching at some points so if you hate me at some point during it I completely understand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Easier To Run

**Author's Note:**

> Meryl knew she and Charlie made a huge mistake. But it didn't feel like one, so why did she have to cover her tracks?

“We just won the Olympics!” Charlie exclaimed, as he leaned on Meryl for support.

            “No, you doof, we just won _Dancing With the Stars_!” Meryl laughed back, almost falling over.

“So we didn’t win the Olympics?” he asked drunkenly.

            Meryl’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know. Did we?” she thought hard, her head tilting to the side.

“Oh, Lord. Yes, you won the Olympics,” Sharna, Charlie’s DWTS partner, said, as she tried balancing Charlie on his other side.

            “But you two are too drunk to remember,” Maks, Meryl’s partner, continued. “You're even more drunk than me, and that says something.”

“It really does,” Sharna agreed.

            “Hey!” Maks protested, and Sharna shrugged back.

“Hashtag sorry not sorry,” Charlie laughed.

            “Shut _up_!” the three others yelled at him in unison, and Charlie held his hands up, backing off.

“So how do you plan on celebrating? I mean, that party was epic, but you have to be tired!” Sharna said.

            Meryl looked to Charlie and shrugged. “ _Full House_ marathon?” he nodded.

“You two are so weird,” Maks sighed.

            “Thank you,” they replied in unison, smiling at each other. Meryl was glad that she and Charlie tied in the win. She would have been devastated to lose, of course, but beating her partner would’ve been worse. Everything they did they did together, and this was no exception.

 

Once Maks and Sharna dropped them off at Charlie’s hotel room, drunken Meryl was desperate to get comfortable. “Charlie, can you help me with my zipper? This dress has been annoying the hell out of me all night.” Charlie laughed before he obliged. He looked at Meryl’s back—her soft ivory skin, and he tried hard to control himself. _Tanith, remember Tanith,_ he thought to himself.

            Meryl put on Charlie’s hotel bathrobe before settling in the bed and turning the TV on to _Full House._ Charlie sat next to her, and they immediately went into their natural position: wrapped around each other. At one point Meryl laughed at one of Joey’s lines and the bathrobe fell off her shoulder.

Charlie smiled. “Mer, your—” she turned to look at him. Her makeup was still on, and she still had the pink in her hair. She looked absolutely stunning, like she always did. He couldn’t take it anymore.

            She muted the TV. “What? Charlie, are you alright?” Charlie got up and slammed his hands against the wall. “ _Charlie!_ What's gotten into you?” Meryl got up and walked over to him. “Tell me what's bothering you!”

Without a word, Charlie turned to Meryl. Without a warning, he took her face in both hands and kissed her fiercely. At first, Meryl protested, but she gave in and melted into him. It was wrong, they both knew, but it felt so right. Too right, that neither of them stopped, not even when Charlie put the _Do Not Disturb_ sign on the door.

 

* * *

Meryl’s eyes slowly opened. Her head pounded. “Oh, my God. Oh, God, oh, God.” She sat up in a flash. She looked at the moving bed beside her, where Charlie tossed in his sleep. _Oh, fuck_ , she thought. Getting up quietly so she wouldn’t wake him, Meryl struggled to find her jeans. When she did, she grabbed her shoes and saw her bra was on the chair by the window. Racing to collect her things before he woke up, Meryl ran out the door before they were caught. Even though she couldn’t remember anything from the night before, she knew that she and Charlie had tied in the _Dancing With the Stars_ finale. And she remembered what they had done the night before.

            “Fuck!” she hissed.

“Hmm?” Charlie stirred, slowly opening his eyes. Meryl tried creeping out of the room. “Mer?”

            Meryl sighed. “Yeah, Char?” she couldn’t look him in the eye. Not after what happened.

“I know you remember yesterday. And I do, too. Actually, it’s the only thing I remember, besides that awesome mirror ball trophy!” Meryl stayed silent, still facing the door, her hand still on the doorknob. “Mer…I don’t regret last night.”

            “Char…”

“No, hear me out. I know about Tanith. I know about Maks. It was wrong, I know, but to me, nothing ever felt more right. And I know you feel the same. You _do_ feel the same, right?”

            Meryl fought back the tears. “Charlie, I have to go.” She opened the door.

“Mer, no—wait!” Charlie put on his robe and ran after her.

 

Halfway down the hall, Meryl felt like punching herself. That was her chance. To tell Charlie how she really felt. To get everything she's ever wanted for the past few years. And she blew it. It was just easier to run.

            “Mer!” he called again. This time she turned around. Before she could say anything, Tanith appeared at the corner of the hall. Meryl’s mouth gaped open. Charlie blushed.

“What the hell is going on?” Tanith demanded angrily.

            “Tanith, it’s not what—” Charlie insisted.

“It’s not what I think? Oh, really, then I’d _love_ to know what it is!”

            “Tanith, I—” Charlie tried again.

“Shut up!” she screeched. “I want _her_ to tell me what happened here,” she said slyly, pointing to Meryl. Charlie’s eyes widened. Meryl felt the tears forming. This was the moment of truth.

 

 

 


	2. She's Leaving Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't Meryl's choice to leave Charlie the way she did. Without goodbyes, without closure...it wasn't her idea. In fact, she never wanted to leave him at all. She was pushed to it, and she had no choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So glad you like this story so far! The ideas for chapters are fresh in my mind, and I actually love this storyline, so I'll most likely update every day. Thanks for reading! :)

“Tanith, come on, let me—” Charlie didn’t care if he and Tanith broke up, but he wouldn’t let her hurt Meryl, so he tried protecting her as much as he could.

            “Charlie, leave, okay? Just leave. I said I wanted _Meryl_ to tell me. Go back to the room.” Charlie hesitated, but did as he was told. Tanith turned to Meryl coldly and crossed her arms. “Well?”

“Tanith, I—”

            “I knew it,” she shook her head, sliding to the floor. “I mean, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming, but _wow_ , Meryl, it still hurts.”

“I’m sorry, Tanith, I really am."

            Tanith nodded, letting it sink in. “I want you to leave.” She pursed her lips, not looking at Meryl.

“Of-of course,” Meryl stammered, collecting her things that had fallen on the floor.

            Tanith shook her head. “No, that’s not what I mean. I have a relationship with Charlie. I intend to keep it that way. That means you need to leave.”

Meryl's heart sank. “You mean…”

            “Yes,” Tanith cut her off. “You leave as soon as you can. No contact whatsoever. You were going to leave Michigan anyway, right?”

“Tanith, you can’t do that. He’s my best friend. He needs me. I need him.”

            “You should have thought about that before last night,” she snapped. “He’ll be fine. He has _me._ And you have Maks. You'll forget about each other before you know it. And if you don’t leave on your own, I’ll make sure you do.” She got up from the floor and walked into Charlie's room.

Meryl slid to the ground and cried. She didn’t want to leave him. Everything was finally settling into place. But she also loved Maks. He didn’t deserve this. And Tanith was probably right. Charlie would forget about her soon enough. If there had ever been a chance for them, he would have never gotten together with Tanith. This was how it was supposed to be, she decided, and she wanted Charlie to be happy. She wasn’t going to hold him back. She’d already been doing that for the past four years.

* * *

 

“Princess, are you sure you don’t want to see him before we go?” Maks asked her the next day.

            Meryl shook her head. “I’ll write him a note.”

“Seventeen years and you'll write him a _note_? Princess, did something happen?”

            “No,” she insisted.

“Princes…you can tell me. I won’t kill him.”

            “It wasn’t him.”

Maks was alarmed. “Then who was it? What did they do to you?” Meryl couldn’t hold back anymore. She poured herself out to Maks. He was speechless at first, but he respected Meryl’s wishes to simply leave without a word.

 

Unfortunately for Tanith, Charlie wasn’t about to forget about Meryl so soon. “Hey, front desk said Meryl checked out yesterday. Do you know where she is?” Charlie asked, walking into their room.

            Tanith froze up from her seat by the window and looked up from the magazine she was reading. “No,” she said innocently. “How would I know? She normally tells you where she's going, not me.” she flipped a page and resumed her reading.

Charlie sighed. “What did you say to her yesterday? She hasn’t been answering my calls or texts.”

            Tanith shot up out of her seat. “Are you seriously accusing me of doing something, especially after what _you_ did?”

Charlie hung his head. “You're right, I’m sorry, it’s just all getting to my head.”

            Tanith crossed her arms and awkwardly rolled on her heels. “Good,” she nodded. “Because I heard she and Maks are leaving today.”

            _“What?”_

“Yep. The 3:00 flight I think.” She walked past him and out the door.

            He followed her out. “No, you're lying. She wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“Wouldn’t she?” Tanith retorted. Charlie’s eyes grew wide and he ran off. Tanith rolled her eyes. He would never make it in time and she knew it.

 

Meryl and Maks were handing off their tickets to the flight attendant when they heard a distant voice. “Meryl!”

            Meryl turned around. She saw Charlie running through the terminal, jumping over suitcases. She turned to the flight attendant. “Give this to him,” she whispered, taking a folded paper out of her purse and handing it to her. The flight attendant nodded. “Maks, let’s go.”

 

“No, Meryl, no, no, no,” Charlie muttered, watching her and Maks make their way to the plane. He arrived at the ticket check out of breath. “Please, I just need to talk to her,” he begged the flight attendant.

            “I’m sorry, only passengers are allowed beyond this point,” she said flatly.

“No, you don’t understand. I _have_ to talk to her.”

            “Sir, the plane is departing in promptly five minutes. She left this for you, though. I’m sorry. I wish I could let you on.” She handed him the paper and closed the door, making her way to the plane.

Charlie sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area and opened the letter.

            _Charlie—_

_I’m sorry I had to leave like this. I’m sorry you had to find out this way. But it’s for the best. You have Tanith. I have Maks. I don’t want to spoil that, and I know you don’t either. Once I leave, I’m never coming back. But you'll be fine without me! I’ll be out of your life, so you don’t need to pretend anymore that I wasn’t the reason you were holding back with Tanith. You won’t hear from me again. I’m sorry, Charlie, but it’s how it has to be. I know you'll do great things, and I hope you find happiness._

_Love always,_

_Meryl_

Charlie felt like screaming. He felt like crying. She was gone. She was really gone. Not only had Meryl left Davis and White, but she also left _him._ Neither of them thought they would see each other again, and yet the only thing they both wanted was to be with the other, for eternity.

 

 


	3. Still Fighting It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flash forward eight years...Meryl and Charlie have tried so hard to move on with their lives, but will those efforts go to waste when they get a call from Marina?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, I'm so glad people are liking this story! But there *will* be angst. A whole lot. It's one of *those* stories sorry!! But I promise you'll love it.

_Eight Years Later_

_October 24 th, 2022_

“Princess, it’s been eight years, are you really not gonna call him?” Maks asked, sitting next to his wife on the couch.

            Meryl looked up from her phone. “I.... no. I can’t. If he really wanted to talk to me he would’ve called or something by now.”

“The only reason he hasn’t is because you _told_ him not to in that damn letter! I mean you were in the same building when you went to watch the Olympics! You were literally in the same row and you didn’t speak a word to each other—not even about the ice dance competition!”

            “Maks, just forget it! Why do you do this every year?” she shrieked.

“Because I hate seeing you like this every year! And every Christmas, when his parents send us a card, and every year on your birthday when you keep refreshing your messages.” Meryl got up and stormed off. She came back with a blanket and a pillow. “Oh, now I have to sleep on the couch? Meryl, come on! That’s the third time this week!”

            “Maybe you should stop mentioning Charlie. Ever learn to take a hint?” she yelled.

“Meryl,” Maks said calmly. “The girls are asleep.”

            Meryl threw the pillow at his face before storming off and slamming their bedroom door. She lied down on the bed and let a single tear fall. The door creaked open. “Maks go away,” she said through gritted teeth, trying to stop further tears.

“Mommy?” Meryl and Maks’ 5-year-old daughter Sara came into the room slowly. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, sweetie.” _Oh, God, the girls,_ Meryl thought. Although she loved them, she couldn’t handle them right now. She had suggested to Maks the name Sara after Bach's _Sarabande,_ which she and Charlie had skated to in their early years, when they learned they were expecting Sara. Why she chose something that would constantly remind her of Charlie? She wasn’t sure.

“Sara, is Mommy okay?” 7-year-old Ellie came into the room. Now it was worse for Meryl. Not only was Ellie named for her and Charlie’s _Eleanor Rigby_ program, but Ellie had also been born a few months after Meryl and Maks had left for New York.

            “She says she is, but I think she's lying,” her sister replied.

“Mommy.” Ellie sat on the bed and took her mother’s face in her hands, forcing Meryl to look at her. “Are you okay?”

            Meryl put her hands on her daughter’s arms. “Yes, I’m fine.” Sara came and joined them.

“Then why are you sad, Mommy?” the little girl asked.

            Meryl stroked her hair. “Because today it’s one of Mommy’s friend’s birthday and I haven’t seen him in a long time.”

“Why?” Sara asked. She was in _that_ stage.

            Meryl shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

“Will you ever see him again?” Ellie asked, intrigued.

            “Maybe someday I will. You never know. But you girls need sleep. Come on, I’ll tuck you back in.”

* * *

 

 

“Charlie, there are people out there who love you and want to celebrate your birthday, why are you sitting here staring at your phone?” Tanith asked, leaning against the doorframe of their bedroom, gladly showing her annoyance.

            “She hasn’t called,” Charlie answered sulkily.

“Oh, God, really, Charlie? Are you going to do this every damn year?” Tanith walked over and took his phone. “It’s been eight years. It’s time to move on. Now come on. Arya baked a cake.”

            Charlie sighed but went downstairs where their six-year-old daughter Arya stood proudly behind a large round cake that read “Happy Birthday, Daddy!” in sloppy purple icing. Purple was Arya’s favorite color, and Charlie kept it to himself of how much pain it brought. Purple had been his favorite color on Meryl. He never got over her; no matter how hard he tried. He even named his kid after a character from their favorite show, _Game of Thrones_ , something Tanith had learned to live with. She didn’t know that Meryl had any part in Charlie’s choice of name, thought. They had agreed that whoever guessed the correct gender got to choose the name. Tanith thought it was a boy; Charlie thought it was a girl. So Charlie got to choose. And he chose Arya.

“Happy birthday, Daddy!” Arya said loudly.

            “Thank you, pumpkin,” Charlie said, coming over to hug his daughter. “Great-looking cake, by the way.” Arya beamed.

“Charlie, you look worried. Are you all right?” Jacqui asked, coming over.

            “Yeah, I’m fine, Mom.”

“Is it…”

            “Mom…” Charlie warned.

“I’m sorry, I know, I know. Still no word?”

            Charlie looked straight into Jacqui’s eyes. “No. Now please don’t talk about it.”

Jacqui held her hands up in defeat. “If you ever need…”

            “Yes, Mom, I know. But I won’t.”

“If you say so.”

Charlie sighed. It seemed that everyone in his family was always reminding him about Meryl. Except for Arya, of course, because she didn’t know Meryl. In fact, Tanith didn’t want her to know about Meryl at all. Charlie found that odd, but he wasn’t going to get into it.

* * *

The next day, Meryl was in the kitchen, making a pie when the phone rang. Maks was at work, and the girls were at school. She imagined it was their school.

            “Hello?” she answered, pressing the phone to her shoulder.

“Meryl, how are you?” a thick Russian accent blared through the phone.

            “M-Marina? Is that you?”

“Oh, it’s so good to finally hear from you, Meryl! Been too long.”

            “Uh…yeah, it has…did something happen?”

Marina sighed. “I’m not sure if you heard, but I am retiring. So, the rink has offered to do a farewell gala.” She snorted. “And I get to choose skaters. I have chosen Maia and Alex—”

            “Their Olympic programs were amazing, by the way.”

“Thank you. Anywho, I have chosen them, Tessa and Scott, you and…” Marina trailed off.

            “And Charlie,” Meryl finished for her. She sighed. “Do I have to skate with him?”

“You will do solo program, and so will he. Then you two will do finale.”

            “Marina, we—”

“You haven’t seen each other in eight years I know. Will you do it?”

            Meryl sighed. “Alright, fine. I’ll do it.”

Marina cheered on the other side of the line. “I will send you details as soon as I can. Bye, Meryl! See you soon!” she hung up.

            “Oh, God, what the hell did I just do?” Meryl muttered before going back to her pie.

* * *

“Coach, Coach!” a young girl ran to the boards.

            “Nicole, hey!” Charlie skated over. “Your lesson’s at four, remember? I have Casey now.”

Nicole shook her head. “No, Marina wants you in her office. _Now._ ” Charlie nodded.

Charlie walked to Marina's office and knocked on the door. “Come, come,” Marina waved, her eyes on her computer.

            “You wanted to see me?”

“Ah, yes, Charlie!” Marina swiveled her chair around. “Sit, sit.” Charlie obliged. “You know I retire at the end of season, right?”

            Charlie nodded. “You've had a great run.”

“Thank you. Anyway, the rink is doing a farewell gala for me. I choose performers. I chose Maia and Alex—”

            “Their Olympic programs were awesome!”

Marina shook her head and laughed at herself, recalling her conversation with Meryl just a few minutes before. “Yes, yes. I also chose Tessa and Scott, and you and…”

            “And Meryl,” he finished with a flat and frigid tone. He sighed. “Do I have to skate with her?”

“You will do solo program, as will she. Then both you do finale.”

            Charlie snorted. “Good luck. She hasn’t been in contact with anyone in Michigan for the past eight years. I’ll do the gala, though.”

“Oh, good,” Marina said slyly. “Because I just got off the phone with Meryl. And she’s agreed to do it.” Charlie’s mouth gaped open. “You have Casey right now, no?” Marina turned back to her computer with a smug smile.

 Charlie walked back to the ice in a daze. “What the hell did I just get myself into?” he mumbled. It was going to be a _long_ week. They hadn't seen each other since the year they won gold. He was sure she had moved on, but he was still fighting it, their last night together ringing in his mind.

 


	4. Homeward Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl comes back to Michigan and comes face to face with what she's been avoiding: Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're on the edge of your seat because we're just getting started! It might make you cry. Sorry about that.

“So you and Sara will come to Michigan on Wednesday, okay?” Meryl asked, packing her final things.

            “Yeah. But why are you taking Ellie with you now?” Maks asked, picking up the suitcases to carry to the car.

“ _Because._ I want her to meet Marina. I think she’ll love that Ellie skates.”

            “If you say so,” Maks said plainly. “Ellie! Sara! Let’s go!” The girls came running, and Meryl tried to hide her annoyance. That was all she felt towards Maks lately—annoyance. She was almost glad that the girls were Davises, so they wouldn’t be thought as the daughters of that notorious Chmerkovskiy upon first impression.

“Mommy, why does Ellie get to go with you and not me?” Sara whined from the backseat, clutching her stuffed dog.

            “Because you have ballet tomorrow, and tap the day after, and we wouldn’t want you to miss that, now would we?” Meryl looked behind her, and Sara furiously shook her head. “Besides, you and Daddy get to go on Wednesday, and then you’ll see me and Ellie again.”

“So, Mom, do you think we’ll get to meet your friend?” Ellie asked, and Maks nearly missed a turn.

            “What friend?” Meryl asked, after giving Maks a look.

“You know, the one whose birthday was the other day?”

            “Oh, him. I suppose there's a fair chance you might.”

“Yes!” the girls whispered to each other in unison. Meryl rolled her eyes. She should be as excited to see Charlie as the girls were, but in all honesty, her stomach felt differently. She was homeward bound. She should be excited and happy. But instead, she was scared. Had Charlie forgiven her for leaving? More importantly, had he _forgotten_ about her? What would happen if he met her daughters when he didn’t even remember their mother? She tried pushing it all out of her mind and focused on counting the cars they passed.

* * *

“Hello?” Charlie answered his phone. It was such a busy day, who could _possibly_ be calling him now?

“Charlie! Can I ask you a favor?”

Charlie sighed. “Mom, what is it?”

“Can you make it to the airport in half an hour?”

“Uh…yeah, I think so. Why?”

            “Well…”

“Wait, no. Meryl’s coming today, isn’t she? No, Mom, I can’t. I have almost back-to-back sessions today anyway.”

            _“Almost,”_ Jacqui clarified.

“I have to pick Arya up from school, anyway.”

            “Fine. Keep that up and you're going to be grumpy all week.”

“I can’t imagine why,” he retorted sarcastically.

            “You better behave when Meryl gets here,” Jacqui warned. “Or I’ll kill you.” The line went dead. Charlie sighed.

 

When he got to the rink, everyone was crowded around the door. “False alarm, it’s just Charlie!” Alex called, and the crowd began to disperse.

            “Good to see you too?”

“Sorry, we’re waiting for Meryl,” Maia blurted, before immediately covering her mouth when Charlie’s face went cold.

            “Yeah, well, have fun with that,” Charlie retorted, walking to the locker room.

“Come on, man, you have to talk to her at some point. You can’t keep avoiding her,” Alex reasoned.

            “Oh, really, I can’t? Isn't that what she's done to me for the past eight years?”

Maia and Alex shrunk back. “It’s not like you tried talking to her either,” Maia squeaked. Charlie rolled his eyes and walked away.

            “Charlie!” Marina stopped him. Charlie turned around. “Is Meryl here?”

Charlie groaned. “No! I don’t know! I don’t care! _God,_ why is everyone so damn obsessed with this!” he walked away angrily. “Nicole!” he bellowed. The young teenager jumped from her leisurely position leaning against the boards. “Go get Mark. It’s your lesson time.” The girl nodded and skated off.

* * *

 

Charlie had almost completely forgotten about Meryl’s homecoming and was fully engrossed in Mark and Nicole’s program when he heard whispers behind him. He knew exactly what was going on, and he tried to ignore it, focusing more and more on the two sets of blades moving in front of him. The whispers got louder and he heard a blade hit the ice. He recognized the sound instantly, even after all those years. His head shot up, and he saw her in the reflection of the boards’ plastic. His face went cold and he locked his jaw. He heard her strides across the ice, and he swore his heart had never beaten faster.

            “Hi, Charlie,” she squeaked.

He hesitated, frozen in place. He was well aware that everyone in the building was probably looking on. He finally turned around, locking eyes with her. Warm hazel-green met icy blue as she tried to read him, but he blocked her off. He looked at her with a pained expression, and her brow furrowed. She didn’t understand what was running through his mind, while he tried not to care with what was going on in hers. Without a word, he skated past her, made his way off the ice and through the crowd, locked himself in his office, and angrily pulled the shades down.

            Meryl stood in place. She was too shocked, too embarrassed to move. She couldn’t turn around and face the crowd that was staring at her back. What Charlie had just done—it had caught everyone, even Meryl, even _Charlie,_ by surprise. She couldn’t move a muscle. Instead, she hung her head and let a single tear fall. She knew this had been a bad idea. She knew something like this would happen. So why did she agree to it? Why had she hoped it would be different? Why had she hoped that it would be the same as it had been in 2014?

 

 


	5. Torn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marina forces Meryl and Charlie to talk in an attempt to get things back to normal, but it brings up something deeper that neither of them want to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you like this story! I know it's a lot of angst to handle at once, but trust me, you'll love where this is going. ;)

“What the hell is going on?” Marina hollered. “Why no one practicing! Get back! Go! Shoo!” everyone scattered about, not wanting to be caught in Marina’s path. Marina noticed Meryl standing on the ice, and skated her way towards her. “Meryl, what—”

            “Hi, Marina.” Meryl tried to wipe a tear away without Marina catching her, but nothing got past Marina. _Ever._

“What did that son of a bitch do?” Marina insisted.

            “Nothing, Marina, it’s fine.”

“Bullshit! Come on.” Marina skated off, dragging Meryl along with her. Meryl was unwilling to move, but the ice was against her.

            “Marina, please,” she begged.

“Relax, we just going to my office.” When they arrived, the blinds had already been pulled down. Marina pointed to her big desk chair. “Sit,” she ordered. “I want you to face wall. Calm down while I get Igor.” Meryl obliged. A few minutes later Marina came back, snapping at Igor. “I don’t care! We have to talk, _now._ And it must be in my office.”

            “Hi Igor—” Meryl said with a forced smile, turning around. Her face dropped. It was Charlie with her, not Igor.

“Marina!” they both screeched.

            Marina shrugged, unfazed. “You two need to talk. You not coming out until you civil.”

Charlie snorted. “What, are you gonna lock us in?” Marina smiled slyly, taking a key out of her pocket. Charlie’s face dropped. “Marina, no.”

            “This is _my_ gala. Everything must be perfect. That means you two friends.”

“Marina, it’s been eight years,” Charlie grumbled through gritted teeth.

            Marina waved it off. “No time apart change that you are soul mates,” she said firmly.

“Marina, we’re both married,” Meryl interrupted.

            “Soul mates!” she snapped again, pointing at Meryl before moving her accusing finger to Charlie. She closed the door and Meryl and Charlie internally grimaced at the sound of the key locking them in.

* * *

Charlie turned to sit on the chair in front of the desk. “Let’s get this over with. We skate to whatever striptease Marina planned for us, then we go our separate ways again, since that’s what you’ve wanted this whole time.” Meryl tried to hide her smile. “What could you possibly be smiling about?”

            “I never thought a day like this would come,” she answered simply.

“A day like _what_?” he asked, his temper on a ticking time bomb.

            Meryl opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then proceeded to open it again. “Nothing. Forget it. Not like you care.”

“Are you going to keep _everything_ from me?”

            “What have I been _keeping_ from you!” she said, a little appalled. “I haven’t spoken to you in eight years!”

“Exactly!” he shrieked. “Are you going to tell me the reason for that? _Ever?_ ”

            Meryl pursed her lips. “Maybe someday I will. But not now.”

Charlie closed his eyes in exasperation. “And why the hell not?”

            “Because eight years ago you wouldn’t be talking like this. I need to know I can still trust you the way I used to.”

Charlie rolled his eyes. He wanted to know. He _did_ care. But he wasn’t going to cave that easily. “Have it your way. You always do, anyway. So, what are we skating to?”

            “How the hell should I know?” Meryl barked. “I just got here. _You're_ the one who works here!”

Charlie held his arms up. “Woah, calm down Mrs. Chmerkovskiy.”

            “ _Don’t_ call me that,” she hissed.

“Woo, trouble in paradise?” he teased. Meryl sprung up and leaned across the desk, her slender finger pressed against Charlie’s chest, her nail unintentionally digging into his skin.

            “Listen up. The only reason I agreed to this is because it’s for Marina, and I have three Olympic medals thanks to her—”

“—And me.”

            Meryl slapped him with the hand that had been resting on the desk. “I _really_ don’t want to be here right now,” she continued. “But I’m sucking it up. And as soon as we’re done here, I’m going back to New York, and you can go home and gossip all about me to your little Barbie wife, alright? But right now, I need you to shut the _hell_ up and focus on this.” Charlie timidly nodded.

“Damn, Davis, when did you get so tough?” Meryl rolled her eyes.

            “Do you have the song list or not?”

“Marina gave me three. One is your solo list, the other is mine, and the third is ours. You and I each choose one song off the list for our solos. Marina chose one song for us. We have to choose the second.” Meryl nodded in understanding. “And no, I haven’t seen any of the lists yet.”

           

Charlie handed her one of the lists, and she began to read through the titles. She immediately recognized what Marina was trying to do. She had included “Already Gone” by Kelly Clarkson and “The One That Got Away” by Katy Perry. Really, Marina? She would have to talk to her about choosing her own song.

            Charlie was having the same problem. On his list were songs like “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz and “Without You” by David Guetta. That was _not_ going to happen. He would choose the best song he could and Marina would have to change her mind.

They both looked up at each other with an awkward smile, as if the other could read through their paper. “Find anything good?” Charlie asked.

            “Yes, but nothing I’m going to use. You?”

“Same. Marina at her old tricks again. But, uh, we should choose a song for our, uh, program.” Charlie was desperate to avoid having Meryl read his list at all costs.

            “Oh, um, right.” Meryl took the third list and put it in between them. They immediately crossed off some of the stupidly cheesy ones they both knew Marina had thrown in there to make it seem like she had given them a variety of options.

“ ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol? Marina, why would you…” Charlie mumbled, and Meryl pressed her lips together tightly to try not to smile.

            “ ‘Just A Kiss’ by Lady Antebellum,” Meryl observed. “Huh. Maybe she _is_ planning a striptease.” Charlie smiled, unable to hold it back.

“I think we get to choreograph this one with Igor. She already choreographed the first one.”

            “Oh, God, what song?” Meryl braced herself to hear the name of the most romantic song with sexual tension in the history of music.

“Keep in mind, I had absolutely nothing to do with his,” Charlie clarified, pressing play on his phone and handing Meryl a lyric sheet.

            “Oh, my God. Does she really expect us to skate to this?” she asked, grimacing.

“We’ve done worse,” he reminded her.

            “Yeah, but this is…different.”

Charlie looked up curiously. “Oh, yeah? How?”

            Meryl turned beet-red as she shook it off. “I mean, it’s almost like our “Fade Into You” one, but it’s worse, because we both know why she chose this.” Charlie opened his mouth to reply, but Meryl kept going, changing the subject. “I think we should choose another song for our second one though.”

“I agree.” he paused. “Any ideas?”

            “I was hoping you'd have one.”

“I guess we’ll think of something. We have until March.”

            “But it’s October! We could start in January and it would be fine!”

“Marina wants this to be _perfect,_ ” Charlie emphasized, sighing.

* * *

There was an awkward moment of silence before they heard. “No, you can’t go in there! She’ll be out in a minute!” it was Marina. Before they knew what was happening, the door burst open, and Ellie stood before them for a moment, before she ran into Meryl's arms.

            “Meryl, she's a hell of a skater, but she can’t run off like that!” Marina yapped.

“What happened?” Meryl asked Ellie.

            “I want her in the gala, and she got so excited she ran in here!” Marina cried in disbelief.

“Ellie!” Meryl scolded.

            “Hold on, you know this kid?” Charlie asked.

Marina slapped the back of his head. “I think she would know her own daughter!”

            Charlie nearly choked. _“Daughter?”_

“Oh, hush. It’s not like you don’t have one either.” Charlie blushed. “Oh, come on, Charlie, you can’t hide a six-year-old forever. Ellie, come on, I want to practice your gala program.” Ellie jumped up and followed Marina, who closed the door again.

            “You…you have a daughter,” Charlie said, astonished.

“Two, actually,” Meryl responded nonchalantly.

            “How…how old is she?”

“Seven. So, you have a six-year-old, huh?”

            “Uh, yeah. So, I guess Ellie over there inherited the hair you had as a kid?” Charlie pressed, jittering in his seat.

Meryl snorted and gave him a weird look. “I…guess so.” She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “I’m…gonna go. Ellie and I have to unpack.” She got up and awkwardly walked past Charlie and made her way to the door.

* * *

Charlie watched her take her daughter’s hand and walk out the door. Meryl had never been that blonde—he would know; half the time her hair had been whipping his face. He was torn. She had a family. To be fair, he did too, but, as wicked as it sounded, he had hoped that her relationship with Maks had been fizzing as much as his with Tanith had. He still thought—he hoped—they still had a chance. But Meryl seemed content with her life, and as much as it pained him, he was starting to consider giving up on the idea of them. He wanted the best for her, after all.

            Meryl drove to her parents’ house without a word. She wasn’t trying to hide her children from him or be a home wrecker, but she had hoped she could get on normal terms with Charlie without their children involved. She was sure he was perfectly happy with Tanith. And she did _not_ want him to know about her problems with Maks. Yet she was a little puzzled by Charlie reaction to Ellie’s age and hair color; they seemed like perfectly normal things. She could have easily gotten her hair from Meryl…couldn’t she? _Oh, God,_ Meryl thought. _Does he know?_ No, he couldn’t possibly. _He has a family now,_ she reminded herself. She didn’t want to spoil it. She wanted so badly to tell him the truth, to come clean after eight years. But she knew that it would make the tension between them even worse. And she was trying to get with Charlie’s good graces, not on his list for the purge. She couldn’t tell him. She would ruin his life, and permanently damage what was left of their friendship. He never had to know the truth, she decided. After all, she was the only one who knew. Not even Maks. But at the same time, it felt completely and utterly _wrong._ She was lying—she had been lying—to Charlie all this time, something she had never been able to do. She wanted him to know. But for once in her life, she didn’t know how to handle a situation with Charlie. For the first time in her life, she was torn.


	6. Things I'll Never Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first day of gala rehearsal brings up old feelings and new ideas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I already have the last few chapters planned, but of course I can't skip the middle, so brace yourselves. It will be a rollercoaster of emotions.

“Seriously, Marina?” Charlie yelled into his phone. Meryl walked into his office quietly. “No, we haven’t started it yet, but still—” he paused. Meryl heard Marina’s incoherent Russian swearing through the phone. “Yeah, I know, I know. Alright, fine. Bye.”

            “You okay there?” Meryl said in a monotone voice, sitting in the chair next to the coffee table. Charlie turned and noticed Meryl was drinking a venti-sized Starbucks. He shook his head, laughing. Meryl and her damn coffee. If there was something Meryl couldn’t live without, it was coffee. Charlie had always thought _he_ would be the one thing she couldn’t live without, but these past eight years had proved him wrong.

“Uh, yeah, you remember that program Marina gave us yesterday?” Meryl nodded slowly, her brow furrowing. “So now Marina says we’re not doing that one. She wants us to choose both program songs,” he told her, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

            “That’s unlike her. Why'd she do that?”

“She says she wants it to be ‘from the heart’, not just assigned to us,” he sighed, rolling his eyes, his fingers forming air quotes on the words ‘from the heart’.

            Meryl was still surprised. It may have been partially due to her eight-year absence, but she was a little put off. She knew Marina, and this was not like her. “That just doesn’t seem like something I see her doing. Ever.”

“Yeah, well, you haven’t been here in eight years, so what do _you_ know,” he muttered, but Meryl still caught it, and a pit formed in her stomach.

            “Okay!” Meryl said loudly, eager to change the subject. “What's on the agenda for today?”

“You're doing your group with the rest of the girls, and I’m doing mine with the guys. I think Marina said something about you and _Ellie,_ ” he struggled saying the innocent’s girl name, “doing a mother-daughter duet. And apparently she wants me and Arya to do some cheesy daddy-daughter dance. Since we don’t have _either_ of our songs for our programs,” he muttered, annoyed at the lack of progress, “we can’t rehearse those yet.”

            Meryl nodded in understanding. “I saw Sharna this morning,” she said casually. “It was good to see her after all this time.” Charlie scoffed. Meryl braced herself. “What?” she asked through gritted teeth, closing her eyes, and bracing herself.

“So it’s great to see _Sharna_ after eight years, when you only knew her for ten weeks when you left? Then how did it feel to see _me_ after eight years, when you knew me for _seventeen_ when you left?”

            “Don’t be cocky.”

“Cocky? You think I’m being _cocky?_ You left without saying a word! I think the least you can do is tell me how it feels to see me again!”

            Meryl opened her eyes and got up to look straight into his. “You really want to know? Okay then. Fine. It feels…really _shitty_ , actually.” She took in Charlie’s frozen expression. “Yeah, it feels shitty. Because after knowing me for seventeen years and not seeing me for eight more, you can’t even say a _word_ to me? Not even a simple ‘Hey, Meryl’?” Charlie remained silent. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’m not asking for a full-on hug-fest here, Charlie. And don’t expect me to be kissing up to you expecting to get your forgiveness—or whatever the hell it is you think I want from you—because I am _not_ here for you. I’m here for Marina, and because I owe most of my accomplishments to her. So let’s get one thing straight: we get this over with, and I go back home so we can all go back to our normal lives and forget this ever happened, alright? Now if it’s okay with _you,_ ” she said coldly, “I feel like going to practice.” She walked out of his office and slammed the door.

Charlie felt a pit in his stomach. He knew he was going too far on this whole thing, showing Meryl how angry he truly was, but he couldn’t help it. It took him a full two years to even move on with his life. He had always thought he would have kids with Meryl, but when she still hadn’t returned to Michigan after two years, not even from Christmas, he decided to bite the bullet and marry Tanith, who had been more than ready. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He wanted to tell Meryl what he had been too late to tell her at the airport, but he knew that was probably the last thing she’s ever want to hear from him.

* * *

To their dismay and secret gladness, Charlie and Meryl had to share the ice when they rehearsed their routines with Ellie and Arya. The girls had become good friends, so it was confusing for them when their parents pulled them away to focus on the program instead of talking to each other nonstop, like the six and seven year olds were knowingly capable of doing.

 Arya had chosen a song from a children’s show, which had made Charlie laugh at how adorable it was, even though it was a good song for them, and Arya was an aspiring skater, so it would work.

“Arya, is this the song you’ve been playing on repeat for, oh I don’t know, ten years?” Charlie teased, looking at the lyric sheet.

Arya laughed in response and led her father in circles on the ice. “Daddy, I’m not even ten!”

            “Oh, I’m sorry, then it’s the song you’ve been playing on repeat for six years.”

Arya laughed again. “Daddy!”

 Ellie, being her mother’s daughter, chose a song that perfect for the shy little girl. Meryl had been the same as a child, but she’d been able to break out of her shell over time. Ellie choosing the song only reminded Meryl of how Charlie had helped her overcome her shyness.

            “Mommy, do you like the song?” Ellie asked worriedly, seeing her mother’s somewhat pained facial expression.

“Of course, sweetie! It just brings back a lot of memories. Now come on, we have to have this down in time for the gala!” Ellie nodded with a smile.

* * *

 

Both Meryl and Charlie were finished at four, and Charlie went to the dance studio next to the locker room, and Meryl saw Sharna go with him. She had the ice for an hour before she and Charlie switched.

            “Meryl, hey!” Meryl turned. It was Derek.

Meryl skated to the boards and hugged him. “Hey Derek! Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.”

            “No problem. I love helping you and Charlie choreograph!”

“Uh, actually, it’s for my solo,” she said awkwardly.

            “Oh, I know. And Sharna’s helping Charlie with his.” _So_ that’s _why Sharna’s here,_ Meryl thought. “But, uh, I’m not sure why you need _me_ , when you're married to a dancer…”

“Maks and I are, uh, not really getting along lately. Besides, I don’t think he’d really understand what I want this dance to be about.” Derek nodded. He understood.

            “Okay!” he clapped his hands together. “So, what do we got?” Meryl handed him a sheet of paper. “You sure about this, Meryl?”

She nodded. “It can’t be any worse than that week on _Dancing with the Stars_. Besides, as soon as the gala’s over I’m heading back home.” Derek nodded again. He knew this wasn’t a good idea for Meryl to just leave, but he knew she trusted him to keep this under wraps until the gala, so he wouldn’t say a word to anyone.

            “Let’s get started then.”

 

“Charlie, you have to be _insane_ ,” Sharna gasped in shock, looking at the lyric sheet Charlie had given her. “A song like this? Have you forgotten there's going to be a crowd? Have you forgotten who's going to be _in_ the crowd?”

            Charlie held his hands up in defense. “I know, I know. I’m willing to take that risk. I’ve just…never been good with words in situations like these. I’ve always expressed myself best through music and skating.”

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” Sharna asked again.

            Charlie took a deep breath. “Am I prepared to make a fool out of myself, you mean? Yes.”

Sharna shrugged. “Good enough for me. Let’s go.”

* * *

Throughout her practice, Meryl recalled week three of _Dancing with the Stars._ It was the week she and Maks first realized the potential between them, and the week she started to drift from Charlie. She also recalled the awkwardness that went on between her and Charlie every since her plane landed. She thought about how she still loved him, and how she still hated him. She thought about how cold he’d been to her, and how she had tried to keep her true feelings hidden so deep that not even Charlie could find out about them by reading her mind. In that moment, a song came to her mind. It was perfect for one of their programs. It wasn’t a ‘fun’ song, but it also wasn’t a romantic classical piece like their Scheherazade or Rachmaninoff. It was a perfect was of indirectly telling Charlie how she felt, and he was too much of an oaf to ever figure it out, so Meryl wasn’t worried about embarrassing herself. Week three had been more than enough to last a lifetime.

During Charlie’s rehearsal, whether it was a trick of fate or simply because he and Meryl still had that subconscious connection, he began to think about how after all these years, they still had a connection, no matter how much both of them wanted to deny it. He thought about how both of them had drifted apart completely, but somehow, they were brought back together. All roads seemed to lead to the other. That’s when it clicked. He thought of a song, and hoped—prayed—Meryl would agree to it. He had a feeling she would. It wasn’t an upbeat, energetic song, but it also wasn’t a slow and emotionally romantic song about love. It was Charlie’s indirect way of telling Meryl his real feelings, hoping to get the same response, even though he knew he wouldn’t. But he was already going to make a fool out of himself, so why not? He and Meryl could skate to a rap song and it would still be amazing.

 They both left the rink at six, their daughters in tow. Their cars had been park directly across from each other, so while Arya and Ellie loudly talked to each other across the lot, Meryl and Charlie exchanged uncomfortable smiles and glances. They had urges to go to the other and share their song idea. They were never scared about anything when it came to pitching ideas, but this time was different. They would wait to boot camp, they decided. It was in a week, anyway. They could wait that long; they had waited eight years. It would also give them a week to prepare themselves. It was ridiculous how they went from sharing everything that ever happened to them to hiding big things. They could probably even write a book entitled “Things I’ll Never Say”. But that was how it had to be when you don’t want to know the truth. When you're afraid you might be the only one. Even if you feel the same exact way, that’s what it had come down to. Things that could never be said.

 

 


	7. Make It Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie begin their long road to the way it used to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really glad people are reading along with this! I have a lot of ideas, and I really like this story, so I won't keep you waiting that long :) Thanks for reading!

“You have _got_ to be kidding me,” Charlie complained after reaching his seat on the plane. Marina was making everyone in the gala go to Omaha where they planned to rehearse while the Arctic Edge held some kind of showcase that Marina did not have the patience to work around.

            Meryl looked up innocently from her magazine. “Problem?”

“Did you know about these seats?” he asked impatiently.

            “Actually…” she closed the magazine. “I was _supposed_ to be sitting next to Maia—” she pointed over to the next row. “But Alex took my spot.”

Charlie turned to the siblings. “Guys, really?” Alex and Maia simply shrugged. “Fine,” he muttered, sitting down.

            “If it repulses you so much to six next to me why don’t you go switch with Scott?” Meryl asked, dramatically flipping the page in her magazine.

“Sitting next to you does _not_ repulse me,” he insisted. “And besides, Scott and Tessa seem to be getting really cozy back there. Don’t really want to get myself in the middle of that.”

            Meryl snorted. “Then what _does_ repulse you so much?”

Charlie sighed. “Oh, I don’t know, the fact that after leaving without an explanation and not talking to me for eight years you come back and act like nothing happened?”

            Meryl angrily slammed the magazine onto the pullout table in front of her. _“Act like nothing happened?”_ she asked in disbelief.

Charlie looked her straight in the eye. “Have you brought it up? No. Not even _once,_ ” he pointed out.

            “Do you honestly think I want to revisit that?”

“Is that your excuse for not giving me a reason?”

            “Since when do I have to give you a reason for everything!”

“Since you started doing things without thinking how it would affect me?”

            Meryl scoffed. “You're _seriously_ making this about yourself? What about ignoring me on the rink the other day, hmm? Did _you_ think about how it would affect _me_?”

“You really don’t understand—”

            “Oh, really? Do you honestly think I _wanted_ to leave you like that? That I wanted to leave at all?”

Charlie turned to her in shock. _“What?”_

            Meryl rolled her eyes. “Did you really think I would leave the way I did if I had a choice? Do you really think I’m that much of an ass? Wow, thanks, Charlie,” she said, partially sarcastic.

“N-No, wait _what_?” he turned his whole body towards her. “You didn’t want to leave?” Meryl shook her head. “Then why did you?”

            Meryl shrugged. “I had to.”

“What do you mean, ‘you had to’? No, you didn’t!”

            “ _Yes,_ Charlie. I did.”

“W-Why? And why did you leave without saying anything to me? I could’ve helped you avoid whatever it was that caused you to leave!” Meryl snorted and shook her head, thinking of the irony of Charlie’s sentence. He wanted to have helped her _avoid what caused her to leave…._ “Meryl…why did you?” he whispered, near tears.

            Meryl gave him a weak smile and put a hand on his cheek. “I wish I could explain. Really, I do.”

“What, did goodie-two-shoes Meryl Davis get caught in some trouble?”

            Meryl smiled at Charlie’s attempt to avoid tears. “As _if._ ”

“Promise me you'll tell me someday, Mer. Promise me.”

            Meryl stared at him in surprise. That was the first time he’d called her Mer in eight years. “I promise,” she whispered.

Charlie immediately grabbed her and hugged her. “And please don’t ever leave like that again. Please.”

            “I promise,” she repeated, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. “You’ll never lose me like that again.”

* * *

Throughout their flight, Meryl tossed and turned in her seat in a desperate attempt to sleep, but Charlie was watching _Lord of the Rings,_ so his laughter had other plans. Eventually, the movie ended, and Charlie dozed off, which meant Meryl was able to as well.

A few hours later they were woken up by a camera snapping and mischievous giggles. Slowly opening their eyes, they saw Alex, Maia, Tessa, and Scott standing over them, Alex holding up his iPhone.

            “What the fucking hell is going on? What are you doing? Gimme that,” Charlie mumbled, annoyed.

Meryl lifted her head, and noticed that somehow in her sleep she had leaned on Charlie and fallen asleep against his arm. She sat up immediately. “You guys suck,” she grumbled sleepily, yawning.

            “We know,” Alex said with a smirk.

“Get out of our face,” Charlie groaned. Alex and Maia shared a knowing look. _They were speaking in plurals again._

            “Okay, okay!” Maia said in defeat, holding her arms up.

* * *

 

Of course, the first thing Marina made them do after breakfast was get to the rink. Meryl and Charlie did their traditional warm up laps side by side, still not holding hands. When they finished their warm up, they faced each other to speak, both of them opening their mouths at the same time.

            “You first,” Charlie insisted.

Meryl nodded. “So, um…I kinda found a song for one of our programs. I wanted to run it by you first.” She handed him a lyric sheet.

            Charlie looked it over. Meryl bit her lip while she awaited his response. Charlie nodded; he seemed impressed. “Good choice, Mer. It’s an unusual choice, being a little soft rock-ish, but I think we can pull it off.”

Meryl clapped excitedly. “I was hoping you'd like it! Now what were you going to say?”

            “Oh! Right. I found a song too; I wanted to show it to you.” He took out a neatly folded paper and handed it to her proudly.

Meryl took it and scanned the words. Her jaw dropped to the floor in shock. _Was he trying to her a message? Or was he just trying to sell the ‘Davis and White reunion’ theme?_ “I...”

            “Oh, God, you hate it, don’t you? I knew it was too much. I knew it, I _knew_ it,” he said angrily, slamming his fists onto the boards.

Meryl quickly put her hands on his arms reassuringly. “No, no, no. Charlie, no, it’s perfect! I’m just really surprised you chose it.”

            Charlie quickly calmed down. “I can be musical, too,” he joked.

“I know you can,” Meryl said cautiously, unsure if he had boiled down completely. “Now let’s get started.”

Charlie nodded. He took Meryl hand nervously and led her into a few more laps around the rink. They were going to be okay. It wasn’t going to be easy to get back to the way they were, but they would make it work. They always did.


	8. Can't Let You Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl lies to Charlie, but when something bad happens, that becomes the least of his problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day. Wow. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Again, thanks for reading!

“Charlie? Charlie!” Charlie jolted awake.

            “Huh? What?”

Meryl rolled her eyes. “Were you listening to _anything_ I just said?” Charlie glanced at his bowl of practically untouched Frosted Mini Wheats in front of him, and looked over to Meryl, happily munching on a strawberry Nutri Grain bar.

            “You still eat those?” he said with a smile.

Meryl sighed impatiently. “Yes, Charlie, I do. I’ll ask again: _did you hear anything I just said?_ ”

            “Uh…”

“That’s what I thought.” Meryl rolled up her wrapper into a ball and tossed it at Charlie's face.

            “Hey!” he complained with a laugh. “What were you talking about?”

“ _Well,_ I heard about this cottage up the hill. You know, the one by the lake?” Charlie nodded, his brow furrowing. He didn’t like where she was going with this. “Well I heard that the lake is frozen at this time of year, so you can skate on it! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

            “Mer, it’s only October. There is no _way_ that ice is thick enough to skate on.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be such a chicken.”

            “I’m not; I’m being the responsible adult.” Meryl snorted. Charlie sighed. “What?”

“Nothing. Since when are _you_ the responsible adult? Aren’t you the one who filled the salt shakers with sugar on April Fool’s Day?”

            “Can you just…can you just promise you won’t go?”

“Alright, alright!” she said quickly.

            “ _Thank_ you. Now let’s get to rehearsal before I fall asleep again.”

* * *

After a rehearsal full of Meryl bringing up the rink and trying to convince Charlie to go, Charlie retreated to his room for a quick nap. When he woke up, he noticed it was almost time for lunch at the hotel. He walked down to the restaurant, where the majority of the rink members had crowded around.

            “What's going on?” Charlie asked with a yawn.

“They say there's going to be a thunderstorm,” Scott informed him. Charlie noticed he had his arm protectively around Tessa.

            “So?” he asked. Why would a lousy thunderstorm cause such an uproar that he couldn’t even go get lunch?

“They’re _also_ predicting lightning, so they want to make sure everyone’s here, you know, in case some people went for a walk or something.”

            Charlie nodded. He waited patiently as they checked off the names on the list. After about ten minutes, Marina came rushing over to him.

“Charlie! Charlie! Where's Meryl?”

            Charlie’s heart stopped. “What do you mean? Don’t you have a list? Isn’t she somewhere in the crowd?”

“No, she not here. I sent Igor and some others to search the hotel. Do you know where she is?”

            “I thought she was here!”

Marina began pacing. “Oh, God, oh, God. Do you know where she could be?”

            Charlie was about to answer that no, he had no clue; he hadn’t seen her since morning practice when an idea hit him and his eyes widened in fear. “I think I may know. Excuse me.” He ran off as fast as he could back to his and Meryl's floor.

He violently knocked on Meryl's door before using the spare key she’d given him. He burst into the room to find it empty, her morning workout clothes on the floor. He noticed that her jacket was missing, as were her sneakers. He also saw that her skates weren’t there. “Shit, shit, _shit,_ Meryl, you promised,” he muttered angrily. “Dammit!”

            He raced back down where Marina was waiting expectantly. “Well?”

“I know where she is. I’ll be back.” He ran towards the door.

            “Charlie! Charlie! You can’t go out in the storm! You crazy!” Marina called after him. She turned to Tessa and Scott. “What a fool. What a crazy, love-struck, _fool._ ” She shook her head and walked away. Tessa and Scott looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

 

“Mer! Mer!” Charlie called out as he ran to the hill. He saw a small but graceful figure in the distance. It was spinning ferociously in circles. _Why the hell is she still skating,_ he thought angrily. _Doesn’t she see the damn thunder?_ Groaning, Charlie ran on.

He was almost at the hill, watching the graceful figure closely. Even though he was extremely irritated that Meryl did something so utterly _stupid_ after she specifically promised him she wouldn’t, he was still blown away by how beautiful she was on the ice. He heard the thunder above him and saw lightning flash, and he ran even faster. He suddenly heard a distant scream and he looked up. The figure had disappeared. _Meryl had disappeared._ At this point Charlie was practically running at a Usain Bolt speed. He’d already lost Meryl once, and he wasn’t going to lose her again.

“Hang in there, Mer,” he muttered through panted breaths, as if she could hear him. “I’m coming for you. Don't worry, I'm coming. I just got you back. I can’t let you go. Not now, not ever. Not like this. I’m coming. Just keep breathing. I’m coming for you.”

 


	9. Bleeding Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie finds Meryl, but they get stranded at the hill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really glad you guys like this story! It makes me smile when I see your reactions to it. By the way, this is kind of a short, filler chapter because I'm anxious to get to the gala chapter since I already have it all planned out. Also...I'm thinking this story might be 15 chapters in all....we'll see. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

“Mer, where are you? Mer? Mer!” Charlie was at the hill, searching desperately. “Oh, my God, Mer!” he saw Meryl in the frozen lake, clinging to the damp grass surrounding it. The ice was cracked, and Meryl had fallen through, into the freezing water.

            “Charlie,” she gasped.

Charlie came over hurriedly and grabbed Meryl's arms. She was gripping to the grass still. “Mer, you have to let go. I’ve got you.” he nodded reassuringly. Meryl reluctantly let go. Charlie pulled her up and grabbed her waist. They both fell onto the grass, Meryl's blade accidentally scratching Charlie's leg.

            “Oh, my God, Charlie, I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just a little scratch.” He got up and carried Meryl to the cottage, bridal-style. The wind and rain battling against them, Meryl dug her head in the crook of Charlie's neck. Charlie smiled and rested his chin against her head as he hurried into the cottage. Charlie sat Meryl on the couch and limped over to the light switch.

            “You're not fine. Charlie, don’t lie to me.”

“What do you mean?”

            “Look, Charlie! Your leg…it’s…it’s bleeding!” Meryl threw her head in her hands. “Oh, God, I should’ve listened to you. I’m sorry, Charlie. Oh, God.”

Charlie sighed and wobbled over to lift Meryl’s head. “Yes, you should’ve listened to me. But I’m fine, I promise. There's some spare clothes in the closet. You take your skates off and I’ll be right back. Meryl nodded and did as she was told. She took her skates off and gasped. There was blood seeping down her leg. “Are you trying to be my injury twin?” Charlie asked, hobbling into the room with a pile of clothes and blankets.

            “Shut up. I think I accidentally scratched myself when I fell.”

Charlie nodded. “Here, put this on.” He tossed a pair of sweatpants and a blanket to Meryl. “Then we’ll take care of the gashes.” Meryl nodded and carefully stripped the yoga pants from her legs, where they had stuck onto like a leech. However, Charlie finished changing first, so he walked to the first aid kit and brought it back to the couch. He wrapped Meryl's leg in the gauze, and the blood immediately began seeping through. He struggled to lift his leg in front of him without pain, so Meryl took the kit from him.

            Charlie looked up at her in confusion. “What?” she asked as she began to wrap the gauze around. “You're my partner. I’m going to help you. _Especially_ when this is my fault.” Charlie simply nodded. He didn’t say a word, but he was smiling inside. She had called him her partner. He didn’t care if it she meant it or if it was spur of the moment; she had called him her partner.

They sat in silence on the couch, their legs resting on the coffee table in front of them. Charlie had his arm around Meryl, and her head rested on his shoulder. She enveloped her arms around his waist, and he laid his head atop of hers. Their gauzes would have to be replaced soon, but they didn’t care. They felt no pain, because they knew that the blood seeping from them was not a battle wound. They were bleeding love.

* * *

 

The next morning, Meryl sleepily raised her head and turned, to see Charlie smiling down on her.

            “What the hell are you looking at?” she grumbled teasingly with a smile.

“Sleeping Beauty, who just woke up.”

            Meryl snorted. “But I look like a sleep-deprived raccoon,” she insisted.

“Not to me you don’t,” he said seriously.

            Meryl shifted herself carefully and propped her elbow on the couch’s back behind her. “Oh, really? Then what exactly do I look like to you?” she asked, playfully raising her eyebrow.

“I told you, you look like a princess. Mer, you always look like a princess to me.” Meryl smiled and gently kissed Charlie on the mouth. They knew they were stranded there until the storm died down. But they could care less. Whether it was because of the past 24 hours, or whether it was because the feelings they'd had for the past eight years were finally being set free, Meryl and Charlie had never felt more in place. For the first time in eight years, they felt like they belonged with the person next to them. And they didn't care one bit that that person was not their spouse.


	10. Dangerous To Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl gets confronted and her secret is out, and she must race to keep it hidden from other people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost at the gala chapter! That one will be very, very long, unlike this one, which is really short. Except it has a cliffhanger, because I'm evil. Anyway, I wanted to add this one in because I just loved the idea of it even if it made me mad while writing it. (I almost broke one of the keys...)

When Meryl and Charlie came back to Michigan in mid-November, they were met with a huge crowd at the rink. Of course, it was also a welcome home for Marina and the other skaters as well, but everyone was more excited to see the world’s best skaters together again.

            Meryl and Charlie were walking arm in arm without a care in the world when they suddenly heard, “Mommy!” they turned around to see little Sara running towards them, her pigtails flying about.

“Sara!” Meryl called just as excited. She picked up the little girl and spun her around. Charlie smiled before Meryl's hair whipped his face by accident and he began choking. Sara burst into laughter and nearly fell out of her mother’s arms. Meryl looked from her daughter to the source of her cheery, ringing laugh and smiled.

            “Mommy!” they heard again. This time, Ellie came running down the hall, lollipop in hand. Ellie had long hair, like Meryl. But it was curly, and it was blonde. Charlie watched her closely as she ran to them. He snapped out of his daze when he heard a familiar voice call, “Daddy!”

Arya ran into his arms. Charlie picked her up. “Hey, princess. What have you three been up to?”

            “Not a lot. We were waiting for you and Ms. Meryl to come back so you could give us a skating lesson.”

“A skating lesson?” Meryl asked. “Arya, I’ve seen you skate. I think you're ready for Marina.”

            Arya laughed. “But I want you and Daddy to give us a lesson!”

Meryl and Charlie shared a look and shrugged. “I think we can do that,” Charlie smiled, and the three girls cheered.

* * *

Doing her best to remain unseen, Tanith snuck into the rink and headed towards Charlie's office. No, she didn’t plan on trashing it, although she was highly tempted to. She was simply going to sabotage everything Charlie had planned while digging for clues that showed Meryl had been there in any shape or form. She was convinced they were having an affair. Of course, she knew Charlie would never, no matter how much he may have wanted to. But she still was still suspicious. And determined.

            She was in the middle of going through his top drawer when she noticed a picture of him and Meryl on the Sochi podium in a picture frame on the cabinet shelf. She looked over and saw a framed picture of Arya on her most recent birthday. Then there was one of DJ, one of his parents…and one of him and Sharna, with Meryl and Maks of course, at the _Dancing with the Stars_ finale. She huffed angrily. Why wasn’t she in any of these pictures? Tanith suddenly heard a scream. She ran outside to see Meryl and Charlie on the rink, spinning Arya and Meryl’s two daughters in circles. That was the last straw. If anyone was going to teach Arya to skate, it was her _mother._ “Charlie!” she screeched. Charlie jolted up like a deer on a highway. Meryl shrunk back and set Sara on her feet again.

Charlie skated to the boards and walked to Tanith. “What do you want?” he said impatiently.

            “What the hell is going on?”

“Mer and I are giving the girls a skating lesson?” he stated, puzzled as he pointed to Meryl and the girls on the rink. It seemed pretty obvious to him.

            “Mer? _Mer?_ So you're back to nicknames now?”

“Tanith, come on. Don’t start this here.”

            Tanith opened her mouth, but instead angrily shut it. “You better be home by dinnertime. With Arya. And _only_ Arya.” She turned swiftly and walked away.

* * *

 

The doorbell rang at the Davis home. Paul and Cheryl had gone out to one of Clayton’s games, and Maks had gone back to LA for the week. Meryl had just put the girls to sleep. “Coming,” she called. Once she reached the door and opened it, her mouth formed an ‘O’ of surprise. “Tanith! What are you doing here?”

            Not waiting to be invited in, Tanith stepped in briskly and stood by the door. “You need to stay away from Arya. And Charlie.”

“Ex _cuse_ me? Tanith, you did this eight years ago and I’m not going to let you do it again. Besides, if you’ve forgotten, I have a gala to do with him.”

            “Outside of gala practice, you need to stay away from him. He’s been different ever since you came back.”

“How is that _my_ fault? Maybe you should learn a thing or two about your _husband,_ ” Meryl retorted.

            “Exactly! _My husband._ Which is why you need to stay away from him!”

“Tanith, I’m not going anywhere. I promised him. He’s my best friend.”

            “ _I_ married him,” she replied snottily, as if they were a pair of teenage girls fighting over who got to have a crush on who.

“ _I_ won an Olympic gold medal with him.”

            “Well _I_ had a kid with him,” she said smugly, thinking Meryl couldn’t top that. To her surprise, she was wrong.

“So did I!” Meryl screeched, before he eyes widened and she covered her mouth with both hands. She didn't know how after keeping it so well-hidden this whole time, it just slips out. And when  _Tanith_ of all people was there to hear it. She had just told her biggest secret, ever. It was a dangerous secret to know, let alone if Tanith was the one who knew.

            _“What?”_


	11. Hate That I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The traditional Davis and White family Thanksgiving dinner never felt so awkward...and it wasn't because of the eight-year hiatus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is definitely going to be more than 15 chapters. This might be the second to last chapter before the gala chapter. THE GALA CHAPTER WILL *NOT* BE THE LAST CHAPTER.

_“What?”_ Tanith repeated, appalled and in shock.

            “Tanith, you _can’t_ say anything,” Meryl pleaded.

“Why shouldn’t I? Way should I help you? You’re just trying to steal Charlie from me!”

            “No, Tanith, I’m not! As hard as it may be for you to believe, I’m not! I’m with Maks!”

Tanith hesitated. “Why haven’t you told him?” she asked quietly.

            “That’s none of your business.”

“I think it is. I just found out my husband has another _child_ with another woman.”

            “You can try all night long, Tanith. I’m still not gonna tell you anything.”

“Her name is Ellie, right?” Meryl nodded. “Why didn’t you tell Charlie? I mean he puts up with her, even though she's a little brat—”

            Meryl slapped Tanith so hard her hand left a bright red mark. “Don’t you _ever_ speak that way about my daughter! If anyone’s a brat here it’s you!”

            _“Me?”_ Tanith asked in disbelief. “I’ve done nothing.”

“Let me clarify how this is gonna go. You leave my house, and you don’t say a _word_ to anyone, especially Charlie. Got it?”

            “Why should I listen to you?” Tanith asked brashly.

“Because I’ll tell everyone what you forced me to do eight years ago.”

            Tanith went pale. “But look where that got you! Married with two kids!”

“Don’t try to act as if what you did was a fucking _blessing,_ ” Meryl snapped back, disgusted. “Because of you I had eight years of pain and regret. _That’s_ where it got me.”

            Tanith scoffed nervously. “What, are you going to tattle on me in hopes that Charlie will leave me for you?”

 _Why is so damn adamant on that?_ Meryl thought. She sorted. “Right, what am I gonna say to him? ‘Hey your crazy jealous wife forced me to leave eight years ago also you knocked me up’?”

            Tanith looked down at the ground for a moment before she walked out the door. She stood in front of it, facing Meryl. “The _only_ reason I’m keeping my mouth shut is because I don’t want Arya to be like half the kids in America, switching every week between parents because of divorce.”

“Tanith, you should keep your mouth shut just because no one wants to hear you bitching all day,” Meryl retorted, slamming the door shut on her face.

* * *

 

The next week, Thanksgiving at the Davis house became extremely awkward, to say the least. Not only were Meryl and Maks noticeably frigid, but also Tanith had annoyingly tagged along. Meryl expected her to come, obviously, but it still bothered her. She was never really part of “Team Davis and White”, and she never would.

            For a while you could only hear the clinking of silverware against the plates, and the steady movement of jaws chewing Cheryl’s turkey contently, until Tanith decided to break the mellow silence.

“So, Ellie! Do you do dance like you dad?” Meryl felt like shoving the wishbone down her throat.

            Ellie, whose mouth was full, shook her head but waited until she swallowed to answer. “No, I only do ballet because of skating. Sara does, though.”

Tanith momentarily turned to Sara. “So you're a Daddy’s girl, huh?” it came out a little ruder than planned, and almost everyone took notice. When Sara had nodded and smiled proudly at Maks, who had smiled back, Tanith jumped back to Ellie.

            “I love your braid, Ellie. It looks so pretty!” Meryl rolled her eyes at the obvious fakeness in her voice.

“Thanks, Mommy did it for me. She says I have hair just like hers.”

            Tanith turned slyly to Meryl. “But your hair is dark brown?”

“I was blonde as a baby and a teenager,” Meryl replied immediately.

            Tanith gave her a look and continued. “So, Ellie—”

“What's this about? Let her eat!” Maks exclaimed, annoyed, slamming his hand on the table.

            “Calm down, I’m just interesting in getting to know her!”

“That’s a lie and we both know it,” Meryl muttered angrily.

            “Are you accusing me of trying to be nice?” Tanith said. The falseness in her ‘innocent’ voice was evident to everyone, even little Sara. Meryl slammed her napkin off her lap and onto the table, getting up and walking upstairs, shutting her bedroom door with a thud.

            Maks began to get up, but Charlie stopped him. “I got this.” Maks nodded, sitting back down. Tanith eyed Charlie carefully. He knew she was watching him, but he could care less. In fact, he didn’t want anything to do with her at the moment. She upset his best friend and her family.

* * *

 

Charlie knocked on the door. “Mer?” he heard footsteps. Meryl unlocked the door and walked back to the windowsill where she had been crying. “Oh, my God, Mer! What’s wrong?”

            “Tanith…attacking Ellie with questions like that…I wish she would leave my daughter out of it. Attack me! I don’t care! Just leave Ellie alone!” Charlie sat on the windowsill beside her and pulled her crying frame into his chest, where her tears stained his shirt.

“Mer, what's _really_ bothering you?” Meryl mumbled incoherently, but all Charlie heard was ‘I hate you’. “Did you just say you hated me?”

            Meryl shook her head, her face still pressed against his chest. “I said I hate that I _love_ you.”

They were silent for a minute before Charlie kissed the top of her head gently. “I love you, too.”

            “Don’t you hate the fact that you do?”

Charlie shook his head. “No. I’m glad that I do.”

            “You know this is gonna come back and bite us, right?”

“Let it. I don't care. I'm ready to face it. I have you with me again. Everything else just doesn't matter anymore.”


	12. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As if Thanksgiving wasn't a lesson learned...the Davis and White clans come together once again for Christmas...and things get complicated, to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so so so SO SORRY for the long hiatus!! It's been an insane couple of months, so I haven't had much time to write. But thankfully, it's summer now!! So I promise I'll try to be more consistent, but I probably won't update daily. Also, I noticed today is the two-month mark since I started this story...woah.

"Thanks for helping me with this, Char," Meryl said, getting into the passenger seat. "You didn't have to, you know. I could've gotten Maks."

           "Don't be ridiculous," Charlie replied, securing the dog cage in the trunk before taking his seat. "I missed you getting your first dog, I wasn't gonna miss Mini-Meryl getting hers," he said teasingly, lightly punching Meryl's shoulder over the armrest. Meryl's smile weakened and faltered a little. Charlie had gotten attached to Ellie and Sara, and she gotten equally attached to Arya, both ignoring the fact that in less than two months she and Maks would be back in New York.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" She asked, desperate to change the subject. Somehow, their parents had convinced Meryl and Charlie to do Christmas together, just like they used to, since the girls got along so well.

           "Not at all," Charlie said bluntly. Maks had surprised his girls by coming home from LA for a week while Tanith had come home a week early from a coverage job. There was no way this would end well, and both were painfully aware of it.

Meryl took a deep breath as the car approached the Davis home. "Let's do it, then."

* * *

 

"Alright!" Charlie called loudly, getting everyone's attention after they had opened their main presents. "Before we eat lunch, I have a present for Ellie and one for Sara."

            "And I have one for Arya," Meryl added, and Tanith stiffened in her seat.

"Me first, me first!" Sara called, and everyone laughed at the young girl's innocence, Charlie's boisterous laugh ringing above the others, and Meryl's heart fluttering at the sound. Charlie handed the little girl the box, and Sara opened it as fast as she could and screamed. She pulled out the pink fabric that had been folded so neatly in the box; it was a tutu that strongly resembled Meryl's 'My Fair Lady' dress from Nationals.

            Charlie laughed at her reaction. "I heard you had a recital next week, and if you're anything like your mom, you love pink and Audrey Hepburn." Meryl rolled her eyes, and Sara nodded eagerly. Tanith watched then from the corner of her eye with a stiff expression.

"Me next!" Ellie declared, and Charlie handed her the box. Ellie gasped. "Mom! Look what Charlie got me!" Meryl's jaw dropped to the floor. It was an exact replica of her Sochi 'My Fair Lady' dress.

            Charlie laughed. "If you ever skate to it...now you have the proper outfit."

"She's skating to it this season....how did you--"

           "Did you know our old dressmakers are still around?" He explained to her confused expression. For a minute, their eyes locked. For a minute, they were the only ones in the world. For a minute, they were the old Meryl and Charlie again. Before Ellie came along.

"Mom!" Meryl quickly turned. "Can you help me try this on?"

           "Of course, Elle." Meryl got up and followed the young girl into the bathroom. A few minutes later Meryl came back out with Ellie beside her, beaming.

Charlie felt his eyes pop out of their sockets. "Mer--Ellie?!" The girl in front of him was the spitting image of the girl he once knew; the girl he knew was his soulmate the first time he ever saw her.

           Meryl took the girl's small hand in hers and twirled her around. Charlie's mind immediately flashed back to Meryl doing their twizzles. "What do you think?" Meryl asked.

"You look...." Charlie trailed off, still not convinced that young Meryl hadn’t just come back from the past.

          "You look like a princess, sweetheart," Maks interrupted, giving Charlie an annoyed glare from the corner of his eye. Charlie flushed. "A princess. Just like your mom." Meryl smiled weakly.

"My turn!" Arya finally declared, and Meryl bounced back to her chair where she had left her present.

          Arya opened the box and her face immediately lit up.

"I heard you wanted to skate to it next season," Meryl said with a charming smile. Arya pulled out her present--two skating dresses. One was teal, the other was lilac. Tanith recognized it anywhere. It was Meryl's Scheherazade dresses.

         "Thank you so much, Aunt Meryl!" Meryl smiled in reply. "You're welcome, sweetie."

Charlie immediately though back to one of their post-Sochi interviews, and his heart sank.

 _"I intend to be Aunt Meryl to all of Charlie's kids, so I don't think we'll ever have to worry about our goodbyes,"_ Meryl said with a laugh. Charlie's face went rigid at the memory, but he didn't have time to dwell on it when a sharp bark snapped him back to reality.

"What was that?" Sara asked curiously. Meryl looked at Maks and he nodded back.

        "Let's find out!" Meryl suggested. Sara and Ellie walked cautiously towards the unusually large box next to the door. Arya hid her muffled face in Charlie's shoulder; she knew what was in the box. _I'll have to give her a giant-ass cookie later on for being able to keep this a secret,_ Charlie thought.

"Oh my god, it's a puppy!" Ellie squealed. The small Australian Shepard pup immediately jumped out of the box and happily wagged her tail. The girls started laughing and cooing over the adorable creature, but Ellie's laugh in particular stood out to Charlie. The ringing sound reminded him so much of Meryl's, and when he watched Ellie playing with her new dog, he saw Meryl playing with DJ eight years before.

        "What are you gonna name her?" Arya asked, coming over to pet the chocolate-colored dog.

Sara and Ellie shared a knowing look before declaring in unison, "Giselle."

         Meryl and Charlie both froze in place. Especially Meryl. She had never told her daughters about that program. Ever. But before she could even begin to think about it, Sara asked, "Does she have any toys yet?"

"Uh, yes, she does. Charlie and I went to pick them up this morning. They're in the garage. I'll get them." Meryl sprang up like a pogo stick and speed-walked towards the garage.

        "I'll help you," Charlie said, immediately getting up to keep up with her pace. Tanith grimaced.

* * *

 

 

Charlie shut the garage door behind him. "Giselle?!"

           Meryl whipped around, her hair smacking his cheek. All Charlie could think of was all the times her hair had met his face on the ice, and how it still smelled the same, like strawberries and lavender. "I never told them about that dance.  I have no idea how they would..." She trailed off, before her eyes turned into saucers. _She might as well have a light bulb over her head, too,_ Charlie thought, amused by her expression. "Marina!" She hissed, making Charlie jump.

"What does Marina have to do with this?"

           "Don't you see? She probably told the girls about our programs! Hell, she probably even showed them!"

           "Is that such a bad thing? That your daughters know about your past? That they know about me?"

Meryl closed her eyes and sighed. "Don't be ridiculous. I could never keep them from knowing who you were. Even if I wanted to."

           "Who I _was_? _Was?_ Tell me, Mer, who _was_ I?"

Meryl avoided his glaring gaze. "My _partner_ ," she mumbled bitterly.

           "And what am I now? Just another stepping stone to forgetting and moving on from the best years of your life?"

"Charlie...."

           "No, Meryl, no. We're going to settle this right here and now. Because to me, you're still my partner. You're still the girl I won that gold medal with. And for me, that will never change. Now tell me. What am I to you? I'm not letting you disappear for another eight years without getting closure."

It was silent for a long, awkward moment. From inside the house, Meryl and Charlie could hear their families singing along to Christmas carols. And the traveling sound was the least of their problems right now.

 

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas_

_Let your heart be light, from now on our troubles will be out of sight....._

 

           "Meryl," Charlie said again, looking at her wandering eyes that seem to land everywhere but on him.

 

_Here we are as in olden days_

_Happy golden days of yore_

_Faithful friends who are dear to us,_

_Gather near to us once more....._

 

"Charlie, I..." Charlie could tell Meryl was trying to leave the room.

           "Meryl, no. I went too long not knowing any answers. I finally have you back. And I don't intend to let you leave like that again."

 

_Through the years we all will be together If the fates allow....._

 

           "There's a reason you're here," Charlie continued.

"Yeah, Marina's gala," Meryl interrupted.

           Charlie shook his head. "Meryl, please. Remember the plane to Omaha? You promised. Meryl, you promised." Charlie felt a tear forming in his eye, but he was determined to keep Meryl from seeing.

But Meryl saw right through him. She always did. She ran across the room and pulled him into the tightest hug they'd shared since Sochi.  "Oh, Charlie." She felt her own tear fall, making a spot on Charlie's shirt turn from sky blue to the color of the bruise on Meryl's heart. "Of course you're still my partner. You will never not be my partner."

           Charlie pulled an inch away, still gripping onto her, as if she would disappear if he let go. "Then why are you so afraid to let things go back to normal?"

"Charlie, things can never go back to normal. Even if we tried."

           "Why? Okay so we both have kids now but I love those girls and you love Arya."

"Char..."

           "Meryl, let's face it. We've grown attached and when....when you go back to....to New York, you know we won't get over it quickly."

"Listen, Charlie. I get it, okay? I get you. More than anyone else ever will. But things will never be the same. Not after what happened right years ago."

           "The thing that....made you leave?"

"Yes. And no, Charlie. I can't tell you right now. One day I will, though. Before I go back. I promise. Okay?"

           "Okay."

"Now let's go back. Giselle probably wants her toys. Plus, it's really fucking cold out here!" Meryl opened the garage door with a shiver, Charlie's ringing laugh echoing behind her.

 

When they went back into the living room, Meryl immediately went over to where the girls had settled on the carpet with DJ and Giselle, who were bonding. Charlie was about to go with them when Tanith appeared next to him. "Charlie, can we talk?"

           "Sure, what's up?"

"Um...not here. Come on." She took his hand. "We'll go to the guest room."

* * *

"Tanith, what's going on?" Charlie asked, exasperated. To be perfectly honest, he was getting sick of her bullshit.

           "So remember when we talked about a new addition to our family?"

"Remember how I said we weren't getting a cat?"

           Tanith laughed her mischievous laugh that made Charlie uncomfortable and chilled to the core. "Don't worry, I didn't hide a cat in your drawer."

"So what are you talking about?"

           "Charlie..."

Charlie sighed in annoyance. "What?"

           Tanith ignored his lack of enthusiasm. "We're having a baby!"

"Tanith, what the hell are you talking about? Arya's almost seven, and DJ's already twelve! Think what you want, but they're not babies anymore."

           Tanith rolled her eyes. "No, Charlie, I'm pregnant!" Charlie's jaw dropped to the floor. "Well damn, Charlie, you're enthusiastic about this," she muttered sarcastically.

"Sorry it's just...a lot to take in. Can I have a minute?"

Tanith hesitated, but nodded before heading back downstairs and closing the door behind her.

Charlie sat on the windowsill and watched the steady snow fall. _How is she having a baby?_ He thought. _Aren't people supposed to be in love when they have a baby with someone?_

           Sure, there was a time when he loved her, and a time where he learned to love her again, and that's when he got Arya, who he adored. But now...he hated to say it, but he wasn't looking forward to this baby. He hated to admit it, but he knew this would tie him down to Tanith for longer than he ever wanted to. Arya was getting older, so he wasn't worried about her having a 'rough childhood' because most of her childhood was spent with Charlie while Tanith was away doing yet another NBC coverage job. He didn't want to be with Tanith. He didn't love her. And he could tell Meryl and Maks weren't what they once were, either.

He noticed someone had left the fuzzy radio on, and he was about to go turn it off when he heard the song's lyrics. He sat back down and laid his head against the wall.

  _Something always brings me back to you, it never takes too long. No matter what I say or do, I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone._

 

_You hold me without touch, you keep me without chains. I never wanted anything so much, than to drown in your love and not feel your rain._

_Set me free, leave me be. I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity. Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be._

_But you're on to me and all over me._

 

_I live here on my knees, as I try to make you see, that you're everything I think I need here on the ground._

_But you're neither friend nor foe, though I can't seem to let you go. The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down…._

 

He loved Meryl. He was _in love_ with Meryl. They were soulmates, they were destiny, _they_ were the fated ones. Just like Marina had said so many times. No time apart could ever keep them away from each other. It was like gravity. He loved Meryl, and that was the only thing in his life that he was sure about. He knew that he would be with her one day, but until then he had to wait. Wait for his destiny, wait to gravitate to his soulmate. And he would rather wait eight more years to be with her than not having her in his life.

  _Something always brings me back to you._

_It never takes too long._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas carol used is "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", the song on the radio is "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles.


	13. L.O.V.E.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Meryl, and the girls have their own New Year's celebrations, and doubts and confessions come out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you I would update more consistently :) after this there's one more chapter until the gala, but that will NOT be the end. I already have the final scene prepared, so keep tissues on hand ;)

"What do you mean you're not coming back in time for New Year’s?" Meryl barked into the phone. Charlie, who was playing with DJ and Giselle on the floor tried to blend in with the couch behind him. "I don't care what Cantamessa Man said! This is your _family_ , Maks. No! Don't cancel on them! Forget it! Don't come back for New Years!" She angrily hung up and threw the phone onto the couch, missing Charlie's head by a fraction of an inch.

           "What happened?"

"Cantamessa Man offered him an anchor spot at the ball drop in Times Square."

           "Wow, that's great!" Meryl shot him a look. "What?" Charlie asked defensively.

"Yeah it's great, but it means he can't be here with the girls!"

           "Oh...well that's okay! You can bring the girls over here! I'm sure Arya and DJ would've gotten lonely."

Meryl snorted. "Yeah, so Tanith can shoot death glares at me all night? I'll pass."

           "But Tanith's not gonna be here," he said slyly. "She took another coverage job."

"That woman has no limit does she," Meryl mumbled. "You're letting her fly pregnant?"

           Charlie looked her in the eye. "How did you know about that?"

Meryl raised her eyebrows matter-of-factly. "The moms?"

           Charlie groaned. "Right."

"Well, gee, Char, you seem excited." Meryl plopped down onto the couch and got comfortable. She could tell this would get deep.

           Charlie hesitated. "It's just...I know what to expect. It's nothing new. I'm sure you felt that way with Sara?" He wished he had been there for her back then. He knew Meryl was tough, and his whole life he had wanted to see a tough, pregnant Meryl.

Meryl could tell he was lying, though. "Charlie, don't lie to me. It's not like Tanith and I have tea and gossip about our husbands. You can tell me."

          Charlie took a deep breath. "I'm not excited, okay? I'm not. I don't want to be with Tanith anymore. I don't love her. I don't want this baby." Meryl's eyes popped. "I know! I know how that sounds, okay? I'm a jerk, I know. I just don't love her, but I don't want the baby to grow up switching parents every week."

"What about Arya? She'll have to switch, too."

         "Arya's used to Tanith always being away. When she's older all she'll remember is Tanith being here for most of the holidays and birthdays. But I'm the one that goes to her skating shows, and her school plays, science fairs..."

"Charlie, you don't really mean all this, do you?"

         Charlie met her eyes with the pained ones that were his own. "I do. I don't love her. I don't want to spend another minute married to her."

"Charlie please tell me this isn't about me." It was more of a plea than a statement.

        "Meryl, I--"

"Meryl sprung up from the couch. "No, Charlie, no. Don't say you love me. Do not. I beg of you. You don't love me that way, trust me. You're just going through a rough patch with Tanith. Ugh, I should've never come in the first place..."

        By now, Charlie had stood up and put his hands firmly on Meryl's shoulders. "Meryl, I do love you. In that way." Meryl shook her head furiously. "Meryl, this isn't your fault. I felt this way ever since Tanith took the coverage job for 2018 Worlds, okay? It's not your fault."

"She takes coverage jobs all the time! What was the big deal about 2018 Worlds?"

       Charlie sighed. "Do you know how old Arya was when she left?"

Meryl shrugged. "I don't know, six months?"

      "She was three weeks old, Mer. _Three weeks_. Tanith got the call a month before her due date, which was the first day of the competition. So she got the doctor to induce labor three weeks early so she would have time to recover and go."

"Oh my god. Charlie, I'm so sorry."

     "That was when all my inner doubts were settled...but I stayed for Arya."

Meryl nodded. She could tell it pained him to talk about it, so she changed the subject. "So. New Years, then?" She said with a weak smile. Charlie smiled back and nodded. She always knew how to cheer him up.

* * *

_"Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_And never brought to mind_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_And days of auld lang syne_

_And there's a hand, my trusty friend_

_And gie's a hand to thine_

_We'll take a cup of kindness yet_

_For auld lang syne_

_For auld lang syne, my dear_

_For auld lang syne_

_We'll take a cup of kindness yet_

_For auld lang syne_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_And never brought to mind_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_And days of auld lang syne_

_For auld lang syne, my dear_

_For auld lang syne_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_And days of auld lang syne_

_For auld lang syne."_

 

Arya, Ellie, and Sara were 'singing' at the top of their lungs, Giselle and DJ were howling in protest, and Meryl and Charlie sat on the couch in defeat, light-up glasses on and hair covered in confetti and silly string. And it was only nine.

           "Girls, it's not midnight yet! Why don't you save your voices for when it's actually New Years?" Charlie suggested, downing his Advil.

"But we want it to be New Year’s _now_ ," Sara whined.

           Meryl snorted. "I don't. Then I'll be a year older!"

"Aww, come on," Charlie teased, taking his seat next to her on the couch. "You don't look a day over 27."

           Meryl rolled her eyes. "That's because you haven't seen me _since_ I was 27." Charlie locked his jaw awkwardly. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Mommy, when does Daddy come on?" Ellie asked, and Meryl silently thanked her for breaking the tension that had begun to form.

           "Um...I think he said at 11. I'm not sure. Why don't you girls take a nap and we'll wake you up if anything happens?"

"No!" Arya insisted. "We can stay awake for a few more hours!"

           "Whatever you say, Ar, whatever you say," Charlie mumbled, knowing his daughter too well.

 

Sure enough, by 10:30, the girls were passed out in their Disney princess sleeping bags on the floor. Charlie and Meryl sat in comfortable silence, flipping through the channels, eventually deciding to leave it on the Times Square coverage, just in time for one of the performances.

 

It was a Nat King Cole tribute, and the first notes of L.O.V.E. had begun to play.

           Charlie stood up and stuck his hand out. "Dance with me."

Meryl looked at his hand and them to him with a weird look. "What?"

           "You heard me. Dance with me!" He smiled as he grabbed her hands and pulled her up, laughing as she screamed lightly at the unexpected action. They began slow dancing in circles, and Meryl subconsciously laid her head against Charlie's shoulder.

 

_L is for the way you look at me_

_O is for the only one I see_

_V is very, very extraordinary_

_E is even more than anyone that you adore can_

_Love is all that I can give to you_

_Love is more than just a game for two_

_Two in love can make it_

_Take my heart and please don't break it_

_Love was made for me and you_

_L is for the way you look at me_

_O is for the only one I see_

_V is very, very extraordinary_

_E is even more than anyone that you adore can_

_Love is all that I can give to you_

_Love is more than just a game for two_

_Two in love can make it_

_Take my heart and please don't break it_

_Love was made for me and you_

_Love was made for me and you_

_Love was made for me and you_

 

Unbeknownst to Meryl and Charlie, Arya, Ellie, and Sara had woken up. But they hid under their blankets and watched as Meryl and Charlie danced around like a set of parents who are still deeply in love even though they never get a night out anymore. The girls, especially Ellie, couldn't help but think how perfect this looked, how this was how it should be.

           When the song ended, they were still dancing about, Meryl's smiling eyes meeting Charlie's, who were shining as bright as the lights on the glasses on Meryl's head. Sara giggled, ruining the moment, and Ellie and Arya sushed her ferociously, immediately covering their mouths. Meryl and Charlie immediately broke apart as their cheeks flushed red.

"How long have you been awake?" Meryl demanded.

           Three pairs of eyes widened. "Umm...."

"Never mind. It's almost eleven, Daddy should be on any minute now."

The three girls sat couch, intently watching the screen, Meryl and Charlie on either side of them. _So this is what it feels like to be a family watching the ball drop,_ Meryl thought. Maks was never home long enough for a whole event, and if he was, he usually had work to do. _I wonder what Charlie's thinking._ She looked over to where Charlie was fidgeting, a sign of displeasure on his face.

           _Damn, this couch is small,_ he thought. _Why didn't we ever get a bigger one? Oh right, because it usually only Arya and me._

Meryl was about to ask Charlie if he was all right when Maks came on the screen, and Sara flipped out. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, look! Look, it's Daddy!" She screamed as she slapped Meryl's legs excitedly over and over. Ellie rolled her eyes, refusing to look so childish, even though she was excited to see her dad on TV. But not as excited as Sara, and she didn't know why. She just never had a connection with Maks the way Sara did, and it made her wonder.

* * *

By 11:55, the girls had fallen asleep again, but this time Meryl and Charlie decided to put them to bed, because they were exhausted. And they did not want to deal with energetic children at two in the morning.

           Meryl and Charlie were sitting comfortably on the couch, Meryl's head against Charlie's chest and his arm around her shoulder. They were about to fall asleep when the announcers began the countdown.

 

_10...9...8..._

 

           "Anything you want to leave behind in 2022?" Charlie asked with a yawn.

 

_7...6...5..._

 

          "Nope. You?" Meryl replied. Charlie shook his head.

 

_4...3...2...1..._

 

           Meryl turned to Charlie. "Happy New--" she was taken by surpise when Charlie's lips met hers, and hell, it was the new year. She wasn't going to lie to herself anymore.

 "Happy Birthday," he mumbled teasingly.

           Meryl smiled against his mouth and playfully slapped his arm. "You fool."

 

 


	14. Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie babysit the girls and take a trip down memory lane...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For future reference, I started this story before the DWTS finale, so if you go back to the first chapter, Meryl and Charlie tied in the win. The song used is "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran.

"Charlie? Charlie!" Meryl called, walking into the White home with an armful of bags. "Oh hi, Tanith," Meryl said sweetly behind her forced smile, trying very hard to hide her disgust and misfortune of running into her.

           "What are you doing here?" She snapped briskly, shooting up from her seat at the table.

"Uh, the girls are doing Valentine's crafts later, and I'm dropping off all the supplies..." Meryl noticed the opened bottle of wine on the table.

           "Why can't you use your house?" Tanith asked, rather rudely.

"If you haven't _realized_ ," Meryl shot back, "is not my house. It's my _parents’_ house. And they're using it tonight."

           Tanith rolled her eyes. "Charlie and I have plans tonight, anyway."

"I'm aware," Meryl said with a smug smile, plopping down across from Tanith. "Who do you think is babysitting Arya tonight?"

           "Don't you have plans with Maks?" Tanith asked exasperatedly.

"Nope," she replied bluntly.

           "Why not? It's Valentine's Day!"

"And Cantamessa Man is doing a Valentine's Day special. In New York."

           “.... I’m sorry," Tanith said sincerely.

Meryl shrugged in reply. "I don't mind. So what's that wine for?" She nodded towards the half-empty bottle sitting in front of Tanith. "Last time I checked, you can't drink."

          Tanith's cheeks turned to the shade matching the liquid in her glass. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Meryl scoffed. "Tanith, do you honestly think you can hide this from me? You can't drink pregnant! Give me that!" Meryl reached for the bottle, but Tanith jerked it away.

           "Why do you care so much? I though you hated me."

"I don't _hate_ you. But let's be clear, I'm doing this for Charlie. And Arya. Because I care about _them_. Now give me that damn bottle!" Meryl reached towards it once again, and again Tanith pulled back.

           "There's no need," she said softly.

"What do you mean there's no need? I'm not going to let you risk an innocent baby's life."

           "There is no baby," she mumbled incoherently.

"I'm sorry?"

           Tanith looked up. "There is no baby, okay? I'm not pregnant."

"Tanith...did you.... did you have--"

           "No, I did not have a miscarriage. Or an abortion, if that's what you're thinking." She rolled her eyes.

"So why did you tell Charlie you were having a baby?" Meryl crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. Something was fishy.

           Tanith took a swig from the bottle. "I thought that if Charlie thought we were having another baby, he wouldn't be so adamant about always spending time with you. That he would give up on you two."

Meryl was speechless. "So let me see if I have this right: you faked a pregnancy so that your husband wouldn't spend time with his best friend? I really have no words for you anymore."

           "Oh, and a one point you did?"

Meryl snorted. "Did I ever!" Tanith glared. "You have to tell Charlie," she added quickly.

           "I will... _eventually_."

"Eventually when, Tanith? Eventually after I go back to New York? I don't think so. You can't drag him along like that."

           "He's not your husband!" She shrieked hysterically. Meryl felt as though a dagger had been sharply thrust into her heart, even though she knew she shouldn't have felt it. "Don't worry about it!"

"Tanith, if you don't tell him, then I will."

           Tanith looked her dead in the eye. "If you do, I'll tell him about Ellie." Meryl froze. Tanith scoffed. "That's what I thought. You know what?" She said getting up and collecting her keys and her phone off the counter. "When Charlie comes back tell him I'll take a rain check on our date. I have to go somewhere."

           "Oh okay so you fake a pregnancy to tie him down and then you ditch him on Valentine's Day? Classy."

Tanith froze at the door, her hand on the knob, and turned to give Meryl the slyest smile she could muster. "He won't be lonely. He has you, remember?" Meryl went pale.

* * *

"Tanith? Tanith!" Charlie called, dropping his keys into the bowl by the entrance. "Oh hey, Mer."

           Meryl jumped. She looked up from the picture album she'd been looking at and smiled weakly at Charlie. "Hey, Char. Hi, girls," she called, as the three girls walked in and past Charlie to go upstairs. They waved back.

"What are you doing here so early? And where's Tanith?" Charlie looked around, noticing Meryl still wore her famous ring and saw as she fiddled with her equally old and famous necklace, which had been a gift from him way back when.

           "Um.... she’s...gone. I'm sorry, Charlie. She said she had to go somewhere and she'll take a rain check on your date."

Charlie plopped down on the couch and leaned back onto Meryl's ankles, which had been curled up next to her thighs. "Oh, thank God. I didn't want to go, to be honest."

           Meryl shook her head. "You are absolutely hopeless, Charlie White."

"And you are as stubborn as a mule, Meryl Davis." Meryl took the photo album and smacked him over his head with a laugh. "Ow!" He complained, rubbing his head and laughing back.

           "Mommy?" Ellie called from the stairs. Meryl and Charlie both looked up in a flash.

"What happened, sweetie?"

           "Sara and Arya got sick."

"What do you mean they got sick?" Charlie asked.

           "I mean they threw up in the bathroom. And I feel dizzy..." She faltered on the stairs, but Charlie was there to catch her.

"She's really warm," he told Meryl, feeling her forehead.

           "Okay, let's get you three to bed," Meryl declared, picking up Sara off the bathroom floor.

"But what about Valentine's crafts?" Sara whined.

           "You all need to rest first. We'll make you some soup and hot coco and then if you feel better we'll bring over a table and you can work from bed, okay?" Sara nodded. It was going to be a long night.

 

As Charlie poured the chicken noodle soup into three bowls, they heard a chorus of coughing, and they both cringed. They hated seeing the girls like this.

           "How did they get so sick?" Meryl asked.

"I think a girl at the school got really sick last week, and she came back before she was fully cured," Charlie replied.

          Meryl shook her head in disbelief. "Why don't you take the hot chocolate up while I finish with the soup?" She suggested.

"Aww but I'm almost done," he whined teasingly.

           "But I've always had better balance than you," she teased back.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Fine."

* * *

When Charlie came back, Meryl was heading up with the soups. Charlie sat on the couch and turned the TV on to a random music channel and looked at the photo album Meryl had been looking at. He flipped back to the title page, where in his mother’s neat cursive, read: _"Meryl and Charlie: 1997-"_. He could faintly see where someone had written _"2014"_ in pencil next to that decisive dash.

 

           "What are you looking at?" Meryl asked, plopping down next to him and curling into his side.

"Old pictures," he replied. "Oh my god, look." He pointed to the first picture in the album: Meryl and Charlie at their first official lesson together.

           "Oh my god, we were so awkward," she said with a laugh, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Hey, speak for yourself," he teased, poking her side and making her jump.

 

_Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes_

_But it's the only thing that I know_

_When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes_

_It's the only thing that makes us feel alive_

 

           "Our first competition!" Meryl said excitedly, pointing at the next picture. "My God, Charlie, you were truly the king of darkness. Thank _God_ were able to get you to wear something other than black." Charlie laughed.

 

They turned the page to see a picture of them in a deep embrace backstage.

           "Cup of Russia, 2008," Charlie mumbled awkwardly.

"Yup," Meryl nodded, equally as awkward. She didn't bring up the fact that she had that picture at the bottom of her purse, and he didn't mention that he kept that picture in his wallet.

 

_We keep this love in a photograph_

_We made these memories for ourselves_

_Where our eyes are never closing_

_Our hearts were never broken_

_And time's forever frozen, still_

 

Next was a picture of them right after finding out they had won the silver at Vancouver. Meryl's smile was as bright as could be, and she was tightly gripping Charlie's arms and looking into his eyes, which were shining in disbelief.

 

_So you can keep me_

_Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans_

_Holding me close until our eyes meet_

_You won't ever be alone, wait for me to come home_

They looked over to the next picture and both inhaled heavily. It was them at 2013 Nationals. It was their hug after Scheherazade. The hug that couldn't have been tighter without them meshing into one person. They both smiled, crows’ feet forming by their eyes at the memory of the simplicity of having the excuse that they were only acting, that it was all only pretend.

 

_Loving can heal, loving can mend your soul_

_And it's the only thing that I know_

_I swear it will get easier, remember that with every piece of ya_

_And it's the only thing we take with us when we die_

The next one was, as expected, the Sochi podium. Meryl's arms were wrapped tightly around Charlie's waist, and her eyes were closed in bliss and contempt, while his arm tightly gripped her shoulder. Present day Meryl and Charlie said nothing, only held each other a little tighter.

 

_We keep this love in a photograph_

_We made these memories for ourselves_

_Where our eyes are never closing_

_Our hearts were never broken_

_And time's forever frozen, still_

 

The next one, which the both secretly feared was the last one in the book, was them at the DWTS finale. Meryl was making a fake horror face as she tried holding up her heavy Mirror Ball Trophy, where Charlie made a cheesy proud face as he held both his own trophy in one hand and half on Meryl's with the other, as if he was Hercules helping out his Meg, when in reality, Charlie had been begging through gritted teeth to hurry up with the pictures because his arms were about to fall off.

 

_So you can keep me_

_Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans_

_Holding me close until our eyes meet_

_You won't ever be alone_

 

To their surprise and silent relief, the album went back in time, to Christmas when they were sixteen. Meryl had her hands covering her surprised expression, and Charlie had a bright smile as he present her with his gift--her beloved necklace. Charlie looked down to her neck where Meryl was currently toying with it.

"You still wear it?" He asked.

Meryl looked up at him. "Of _course_ I do! My best friend gave it to me when I was 16!" Charlie smiled and shook his head, pulling her close enough to kiss her forehead.

 

_And if you hurt me_

_That's okay baby, Only words bleed_

_Inside these pages you just hold me_

_And I won't ever let you go_

_Wait for me to come home_

_Wait for me to come home_

_Wait for me to come home_

_Wait for me to come home_

 

The album seemed to go further back in time now, this time to them in 2004, Charlie standing against a pole behind him, trying to look gangster while Meryl stood next to him, her blonde hair in all its glory, with a face that said _'the sun is in my eyes and I'm sick of all these pictures'_. Meryl laughed. "Look at you, trying to be gangster!"

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Look at _you_ , all annoyed and grumpy."

 

_Next to your heartbeat where I should be,_

_Keep it deep within your soul._

_And if you hurt me.._

_Well that's okay baby, only words b_

_Inside these pages you just hold me_

_And I won't ever let you go._

 

The last picture was them at Sochi in 2012 for the GPF, standing in front of a building in the snowy night, surrounded by dimly lit lampposts, being total goofballs for the camera, to their mothers' request.

 

_When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me_

_Under the lamppost back on Sixth street_

 

"Mommy?" Meryl and Charlie turned around at the sound of Sara's tiny voice to see the girls standing at the bottom of the staircase.

"Girls, what are you doing out of bed?" Charlie asked.

           The girls quickly approached them before they could send them off, but kept their distance; they were still sick.

"We made you a Valentine's Day card," Arya explained as Ellie handed them the pink cardboard paper that had been folded and drawn on.

           "Look, that's me," Sara pointed to the shortest stick figure on the card. "And...and that's Ellie...and that's Arya, and that's Charlie, and that's Meryl. I mean Mommy. Mommy Meryl?" The kindergartener looked to her mother with a very puzzled look. Everyone around her laughed.

"Thank you, girls, it beautiful. Now go back to bed, please," Meryl asked, and the girls obliged.

 

Meryl and Charlie started down at the picture in utter shock. It had Charlie on one end, with Arya holding his hand. Meryl was on the other end, with Sara holding her hand. Ellie was in the middle, holding both Sara's and Arya's hand, joining everyone together. Above the picture, in a messy scrawl, read: _"Valentine's Day with My Family"._

           "That's Ellie's writing," Meryl said as soon as she realized.

"How do you know? I mean it's not Arya's..."

           "Sara can't write. Not legibly, at least." Both Meryl and Charlie sat in silence as they thought of how perfect the image looked, how easy life was in that picture. "What should we do with it?" Meryl asked. "Hang it on the fridge and switch every two weeks?"

Charlie have her an uncomfortable look. "I have a better idea." He got up and went to the kitchen, coming back with a roll of tape.

           "What are you doing?" Meryl asked.

"You'll see, just hold on." Charlie flipped the photo album to the next blank page, ripped off four strips of tape, and carefully smoothed the card into the photo slot, holding it up proudly at Meryl, who looked back with the brightest smile Charlie had seen on her since Sochi.

 

_Hearing you whisper through the phone_

_Wait for me to come home_

 

 


	15. The Show Must Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the gala has finally arrived...and you can always count on something (or someone) to mess things up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One word: GALA! (Well...part one.)
> 
> So I just couldn't wait any longer! This chapter is relatively long, so enjoy it! The names of the songs used are at the bottom.

_March 25th, 2023_

_The Day of the Gala_

 

“What are you doing?” Marina yelled at a group of skaters. “Go! Go practice! Gala must be perfect,” she spat. The skaters ran off.

            “I can’t believe she’s really retiring,” Meryl mumbled, mixing in her soymilk to her chai latte.

“I can’t believe the title of the gala is To Marina With Love,” Charlie laughed.

            “Well, well, well, it’s nice to see you two being friendly again,” Scott teased, walking up to the table to pour himself a cup of coffee.

Meryl and Charlie blushed and stepped away from each other. Had they been standing that close? “Shut up, Scott. We’re both married,” Charlie said quickly, although honestly, he didn’t feel married. Not to Tanith, at least.

“Well I’m glad you still feel that way.” Meryl, Charlie, and Scott turned to see Tanith walk in with Arya.

“T-Tanith! What are you doing here?” Charlie stammered. Scott noticeably stepped back behind Meryl, who lightly slapped him.

            “Dropping Arya off for her gala practice,” she replied, as if it was obvious. She stepped towards Charlie. “Why? Should I be here for another reason?”

Charlie scoffed. “Like what?” By now, Maks, who had arrived the day before after going to LA for the week, came in with Sara and Ellie.

            “What's going on?” Maks whispered.

“Shh,” Meryl and Scott said in unison, both waving a hand in Maks’ face.

            “Are you guys done?” Tanith said rudely.

“Tan, come on! Don’t talk like that to them!” sensing things would get ugly, Meryl stepped forward.

            “What the hell are you doing?” Tanith snapped at her.

Meryl ignored the question. “Come on, Arya, I’ll get you and the girls an ice cream from the snack machine.” Arya took Meryl's extended hand, but Tanith pulled her back.

            “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my daughter!” she shrieked.

“Tanith!” Charlie yelled. “Don’t talk to Meryl that way! She’s doing nothing wrong!”

            Tanith put a hand on her chest and gasped dramatically. “Oh, that’s right! I forgot! You guys are lovers now!”

“What?” Maks screeched.

            “Okay, girls, why don’t we get that ice cream?” Scott said desperately, leading the three young girls away.

            “Yeah, that Omaha trip? They hooked up!”

“No, Tanith, we didn’t,” Meryl said sternly.

            “Mhm. I’m sure. Charlie, you can find somewhere else to sleep tonight.” She began to walk away.

“Actually,” Charlie called after her. Tanith turned around and crossed her arms. “You can. Because I’ve done nothing wrong and I’m honestly so fucking sick of you bashing the people I care about for no reason.”

            “Excuse me?” Tanith said in disbelief.

“You heard me. Oh, and Tanith? I know you're not pregnant. Hell, I'm glad.” Charlie walked away and went straight into his office, slamming the door, leaving Meryl, Maks, and especially Tanith dumbfounded with their mouths wide open.

            “You,” she spat at Meryl, lunging at her.

“Hey, you stay the hell away from her,” Maks bellowed, holding Tanith down.

            “This is all your fault!” she yelled over Maks’ shoulder.

Marina came over. “Tanith, you need to leave. You disturbing skaters. And scaring some.” And with that, Tanith angrily left.

            Meryl slowly made her way to Charlie's office. She knocked on the door.

“Come in,” he replied tensely.

            “Hey. Are you okay?”

Charlie sighed. “Yeah. I’m fine. I’ve actually wanted to do that for a while. I feel like a huge weight just got lifted off my shoulders.”

            “Do you think you'll be okay to skate tonight?”

“Well, Marina did hint that she was counting on us, and the show must go on, right?” he smiled weakly and Meryl returned it.

* * *

 After a long introduction with a presentation on Marina’s life and accomplishments, the gala began with the first performance. It was a group number to symbolize the tough love Marina gave everyone over the years and how they found love as a second family. It began with Tessa and Scott standing side by side under a single spotlight as the music began.

 

_Yellow diamonds in the light_

_Now we’re standing side by side_

_As your shadow crosses mine_

_What it takes to come alive_

_It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t deny_

_But I’ve gotta let it go_

Maia and Alex joined in, skating in sync with Tessa and Scott, but on the other side of the rink.

 

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

 

Charlie came in, dramatically making an entrance.

 

_Shine a light through an open door_

_Love and life I will divide_

 

Charlie went to join Meryl as she gracefully skated in.

 

_Turn away 'cause I need you more_

_Feel the heartbeat in my mind_

_It’s the way I’m feeling I just can’t deny_

_But I’ve gotta let it go_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_Yellow diamonds in the light_

_Now we’re standing side by side_

_As your shadow crosses mine…_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

_We found love in a hopeless place_

 

After the thunderous applause, everyone except Meryl and Charlie exited the ice, as the beginning of their first program.

* * *

 

  _I said remember this moment in the back of my mind_

_The time we stood with our shaking hands_

_The crowds in stands went wild_

_We were the Kings and the Queens_

_And they read off our names_

_The night you danced like you knew our lives_

_Would never be the same_

_You held your head like a hero_

_On a history book page_

_It was the end of a decade_

_But the start of an age_

_Long live the walls we crashed through_

_How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you_

_I was screaming long live all the magic we made_

_And bring on all the pretenders_

_One day, we will be remembered_

_I said remember this feeling_

_I pass the pictures around_

_Of all the years that we stood there_

_On the side-lines wishing for right now_

_We are the Kings and the Queens_

_You traded your baseball cap for a crown_

_When they gave us our trophies_

_And we held them up for our town_

_And the cynics were outraged_

_Screaming, "This is absurd!"_

_Cause for a moment a band of thieves_

_In ripped up jeans got to rule the world_

_Long live the walls we crashed through_

_How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you_

_I was screaming long live all the magic we made_

_And bring on all the pretenders_

_I'm not afraid_

_Long live all the mountains we moved_

_I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you_

_I was screaming long live that look on your face_

_And bring on all the pretenders_

_One day, we will be remembered_

_Hold on to spinning around_

_Confetti falls to the ground_

_May these memories break our fall_

_Will you take a moment, promise me this_

_That you'll stand by me forever_

_But if God forbid fate should step in_

_And force us into a goodbye_

_If you have children some day_

_When they point to the pictures_

_Please tell them my name_

_Tell them how the crowds went wild_

_Tell them how I hope they shine_

_Long live the walls we crashed through_

_I had the time of my life, with you_

_Long, long live the walls we crashed through_

_How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you_

_And I was screaming long live all the magic we made_

_And bring on all the pretenders_

_I'm not afraid_

_Singing, long live all the mountains we moved_

_I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you_

_And long, long live the look on your face_

_And bring on all the pretenders_

_One day, we will be remembered_

 

The whole time, Meryl thought about the night she and Charlie won gold. Charlie even had to pull her off the ice; her emotions had frozen her in place. Once they were off, Meryl darted off to the other entrance of the rink, and Charlie didn’t have time to go after her, because Tessa and Scott’s music began.

 

Scott came out in an outfit that reminded Charlie of the outfit Meryl made him wear for their “The Way I Am/Rhythm of Love” exhibition.

 

_Do you hear me, I'm talking to you_

_Across the water across the deep blue ocean_

_Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying_

 

Charlie used the lyrics to try to get Meryl’s attention when Tessa came out in a flowing pale pink floral dress and came up behind Scott.

 

_Boy, I hear you in my dreams_

_I feel your whisper across the sea_

_I keep you with me in my heart_

_You make it easier when life gets hard_

_Lucky I'm in love with my best friend_

_Lucky to have been where I have been_

_Lucky to be coming home again_

_They don't know how long it takes_

_Waiting for a love like this_

_Every time we say goodbye_

_I wish we had one more kiss_

_I'll wait for you, I promise you, I will_

_Lucky I'm in love with my best friend_

_Lucky to have been where I have been_

_Lucky to be coming home again_

_Lucky we're in love in every way_

_Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed_

_Lucky to be coming home someday_

_And so I'm sailing through the sea_

_To an island where we'll meet_

_You'll hear the music fill the air_

_I'll put a flower in your hair_

_Though the breezes through the trees_

_Move so pretty you're all I see_

_As the world keeps spinning round_

_You hold me right here right now_

_Lucky I'm in love with my best friend_

_Lucky to have been where I have been_

_Lucky to be coming home again_

_I'm lucky we're in love in every way_

_Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed_

_Lucky to be coming home someday_

 

While everyone had either rolled their eyes or thought, “Aw, how sweet” when Tessa and Scott ended in an embrace, Meryl and Charlie locked eyes from across the rink, their bodies still frozen in place, not budging even when Maia and Alex took their opening spot in the center of the ice, blocking their view.

 

_If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea_

_I'll sail the world to find you_

_If you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't see_

_I'll be the light to guide you_

_Find out what we're made of_

_When we are called to help our friends in need_

_You can count on me like 1, 2, 3_

_I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it_

_I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_You'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do_

_If you're tossin' and you're turnin'_

_And you just can't fall asleep_

_I'll sing a song beside you_

_And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me_

_Every day I will remind you_

_Find out what we're made of_

_When we are called to help our friends in need_

_You can count on me like 1, 2, 3_

_I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it_

_I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_You'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do_

_You'll always have my shoulder when you cry_

_I'll never let go, never say goodbye_

_You know..._

_You can count on me like 1, 2, 3_

_I'll be there_

_And I know when I need it_

_I can count on you like 4, 3, 2_

_You'll be there_

_'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do_

_You can count on me 'cause I can count on you_

Amidst all the applause, Meryl didn't even realize Charlie had come up next to her. "You can always count on me," he whispered in her ear.

Meryl stood in place, refusing to look back at him. She simply ignored him and took Ellie's hand; it was time for their duet.

* * *

 

 Meryl was impressed with her daughter's music choice. She was a figure skating junkie, and could practically name every significant skater that ever lived. One of her favorites was Ekaterina Gordeeva. She had watched videos of Katia skate with her daughter Daria, and Ellie knew she would want to do that exact program with Meryl. But Meryl also remembered when Cheryl and Jacqui had made them go to their middle school dance, and how the song had come on, despite being over 30 years old at the time. She remembered how Charlie had over-enthusiastically sang it to her when it came on, and hummed it loudly the whole way home. Meryl smiled and rolled her eyes and stepped on to the ice, Ellie in tow.

 

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_When I saw you walking down the street_

_I said that's the kind of girl I'd like to meet_

_She's so pretty Lord she's fine_

_I'm gonna make her mine all mine_

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_When you turned and walked away_

_That's when I want to say, now_

_Come on baby give me a whirl_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_When you turned and walked away_

_That's when I wanna say_

_Come on baby give me a whirl_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_Hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

_Hey, hey, hey, hey baby_

_I wanna know, if you'll be my girl_

Charlie looked on with a bright smile as he and Arya clapped the loudest. Charlie caught Meryl's glance with a bright smirk, while she returned it with an awkward smile.

           Meryl stuck to one side of the boards to leave the ice to avoid Charlie, who was up next. Now that Charlie knew about Tanith's fake baby, Meryl knew she would try to pin it on her, and she knew exactly how she would do that. But she knew Tanith couldn't say anything in the middle of performances, and for that, she was thankful.

 

_Maybe it's intuition_

_But some things you just don't question_

_Like in your eyes_

_I see my future in an instant_

_and there it goes_

_I think I've found my best friend_

_I know that it might sound more than_

_a little crazy but I believe_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I think I dreamed you into life_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I have been waiting all my life_

_There's just no rhyme or reason_

_only this sense of completion_

_and in your eyes_

_I see the missing pieces_

_I'm searching for_

_I think I found my way home_

_I know that it might sound more than_

_a little crazy but I believe_

_A thousand angels dance around you_

_I am complete now that I found you_

 

Meryl froze. She had looked away from Charlie, who had nearly messed up a spin trying to talk to her with his eyes. She could see Tanith stupidly clapping frantically, and Meryl shook her head and rolled her eyes.

           "I hope you know that," Charlie whispered in her ear as he passed her on his way off the rink. Meryl simply held her head high and plastered on a smile as she joined Maia, Tessa, and a couple of other girls Marina had coached onto the ice.

They were dressed in Roman-style togas. Charlie knew immediately what the music was, and his face went pale. He nearly threw up as she remembered the year Tanith made him wear a matching Roman god outfit with her, and how he had felt much comfortable in a children's size Batman costume. Meryl smiled smugly from her opening pose, the spitting image of Megara in her high ponytail and purple toga. The other girls wore white togas with gold designs, and Charlie had to hold Scott down, because he could see Tessa in her dress, and Charlie knew what he wanted to do.

 

_If there's a prize for rotten judgment_

_I guess, I've already won that_

_No man is worth the aggravation_

_That's ancient history, been there, done that_

_Who do you think you're kiddin'?_

_He's the earth and heaven to you_

_Try to keep it hidden_

_Honey, we can see right through you_

_Girl, you can't conceal it_

_We know how you feel and_

_Who you're thinking of_

 

_No chance, no way_

_I won't say it, no, no_

_You swoon, you sigh_

_Why deny it? Uh, oh_

_It's too cliché_

_I won't say I'm in love_

_I thought my heart had learned its lesson_

_It feels so good when you start out_

_My head is screaming, get a grip, girl_

_Unless you're dying to cry your heart out, oh_

_You keep on denying_

_Who you are and how you're feeling_

_Baby, we're not buying_

_Hon, we saw you hit the ceiling_

_Face it like a grown up_

_When you gonna own up_

_That you got, got, got it bad_

_No chance, no way_

_I won't say it, no, no_

_Give up, give in_

_Check the grin you're in love_

_This scene won't play_

_I won't say I'm in love_

_You're doin' flips read our lips_

_You're in love_

_You're way off base_

_I won't say it_

_Get off my case_

_I won't say it_

_Girl, don't be proud_

_It's okay, you're in love_

_Ooh At least out loud_

_I won't say I'm in love_

 

Scott was smiling like an idiot as he elbowed Charlie in the rib over and over, until Tessa came off the ice, and by then Charlie had lost him completely. He stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. As she came off the ice, Meryl gave him a clever smile and a raised eyebrow, and his knees buckled.

           He was about to say something when Meryl's attention was averted to Arya, who was already dressed for her next number. "Aunt Meryl you look like a princess!"

"That's the point, she's supposed to be Nutmeg," Sara informed her matter-of-factly.

           Ellie rolled her eyes. "No, Sara, she's supposed to be _Meg_." Sara gave her a glare, and Arya giggled.

"Alright, alright," Meryl said with a laugh. "Let's go. Ellie, go get  dressed. Sara, take out my ponytail please? Arya, can you help me with the buckle on this?"

           Sara undid her mother high ponytail and recreated her Notre Dame de Paris hairdo, impressively so for a five-year-old. Arya helped Meryl take off her toga and smoothed out the simple white dress she had underneath. Charlie caught his breath as his eyes widened. _Rachmaninov_.

Meryl looked up to him with a puzzled look. "You ready, partner?" Charlie blinked, then nodded, as he took her hand and led her onto the ice.

 

_The day we met,_

_Frozen I held my breath_

_Right from the start_

_I knew that I'd found a home for my heart..._

_... beats fast_

_Colors and promises_

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_

_But watching you stand alone_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_Time stands still_

_Beauty in all she is_

_I will be brave_

_I will not let anything take away_

_What's standing in front of me_

_Every breath_

_Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more..._

_I'll love you for a thousand more..._

_One step closer_

_I have died everyday waiting for you_

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you_

_For a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

_And all along I believed I would find you_

_Time has brought your heart to me_

_I have loved you for a thousand years_

_I'll love you for a thousand more_

 

They finished the program like they had their Rachmaninov, in a hug. Except that wasn't their choreography. Their emotions had taken over, and they would deal with livid Marina later. It was hard to explain their relationship. And not because that was the excuse they had used for the past 30 years. It was because deep down, they were painfully aware that they loved each other, but they were both as stubborn as a mule to admit it.

           Alex and Maia had to hiss at them to come off the ice; it was intermission time and they were still hugging. Tomato-faced, they skated off hand in hand.

* * *

 

"No, you don't understand," they heard from a distance. They turned to see Tanith trying to get backstage. Meryl rolled her eyes.

           "Ma'am, only performers are allowed beyond this point," the security guard said sternly.

"I'm his _wife_ ," she said hysterically, pointing to Charlie, who casually walked away.

           "Mommy, what are you doing here?" Arya asked, passing by and noticing her mother. _Fuck,_ Charlie thought. _Now they'll let her in._

" _See?!_ I’m her mom! Now let me in!" Tanith pushed the security guard aside heavily, both of them stumbling over.

           "Tanith, what are you doing here?" Tessa demanded. Tanith had even managed to piss Tessa off, and everyone knew how hard that was to do.

"Oh, shut up, pipsqueak," she spat back, and Tessa slapped her.

           Tanith was about to return the favor when Scott grabbed her wrist in place and blocked her from Tessa. "Don't you fucking dare, or so help me God, I will throw you to the floor."

Tanith backed off, and headed over to Charlie. "I need to talk to you."

           "Uh, if you haven't noticed, I'm in the middle of a gala here?"

"You have fifteen minutes. It won't take that long."

           Charlie sighed. "Fine. Go ahead."

Tanith rolled her eyes. "Not here, you moron, your office. Come on."

           Charlie mouthed a "Be right back" to Meryl, who nodded as she watched him follow Tanith into his office. Meryl subconsciously made her way to the wall and watched. She couldn't hear anything, but she could see as Tanith's expressions stayed the same while Charlie's went from annoyed, to shock, to anger, and even to the point where he flipped a pile of papers off his desk. Meryl saw them look in her direction, and she darted away quickly.

Tanith walked out, walking down the hall with an evil smirk, giving Meryl a look as she passed that made her stomach churn.

           Slowly, Meryl walked towards Charlie's office and knocked before cautiously opening the door. Charlie looked up quickly at met her eyes, his with a look of pain and anger.

"Hey, Char, is everything--"

           "Why didn't you tell me Ellie was my daughter?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs (in order):  
> We Found Love-Rihanna  
> Long Live-Taylor Swift  
> Lucky-Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat  
> Count On Me-Bruno Mars  
> Hey Baby-originally by Bruce Channel (side note--Ekaterina Gordeeva really did skate to this with her daughter, it's on YouTube)  
> I Knew I Loved You-Savage Garden  
> I Won't Say I'm In Love-from the movie 'Hercules'  
> A Thousand Years (Part 2)-Christina Perri feat. Steve Kazee
> 
> Also, sorry for the cliffhanger, but I need time to write Part 2, and what better way to keep you all on edge than a cliffhanger?? ;)


	16. Take A Bow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie must put everything else aside to finish the gala. But the gala can only protect them for so long...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the gala! Now this is where the drama starts to boil! But of course I won't fully address *you know what* until later on, because that's what cliffhangers are for ;)  
> Once again songs used will be at the end of the chapter. Oh! Also, if you have any ideas or prompts you'd like me to consider, feel free to leave a comment below or leave it in my ask box under my tumblr, username sparklysophie.

"W-What?" Meryl stammered, a sweaty grip on the doorknob.

           "Don't lie to me," Charlie snapped. "You know exactly what the hell I'm talking about."

Meryl opened her mouth to speak when one of the stage directors came in. "Sorry to interrupt, but Charlie, intermission's over. Boys' group is up."

           Charlie sighed and got up from his chair. Meryl pressed against the glass door, wishing she could camouflage herself in, while cautiously watching as Charlie approached the door. She held her breath as it seemed he would just leave, but she braced herself as he suddenly came to a stop.

"We'll talk later," he muttered through gritted teeth in her ear. "Don't you think for a second that I'll forget." He followed the stage director to the ice.

           "You okay, Meryl?" Ben asked, passing by Charlie's office. No one had said anything when Marina had asked Ben to do the gala without Tanith, but in all honesty, everyone was glad. Even Ben. Everyone loved him, but they couldn't stand Tanith.

Meryl brushed away a tear with her finger. "Yeah, I'm fine. Oh, you're on."

           " _Crap_. Uh, thanks, Mer." He darted off.

Meryl walked slowly back towards the ice, her legs numb and her knees weak. The program had already begun, but Meryl could only faintly hear it, because her emotions consumed her body, and her thoughts had filled her head, which was throbbing.

 

_Here I stand head in hand_

_Turn my face to the wall_

_If she's gone I can't go on_

_Feeling two-foot small_

_Everywhere people stare_

_Each and every day_

_I can see them laugh at me_

_And I hear them say_

_Hey you've got to hide your love away_

_Hey you've got to hide your love away_

_How can I even try_

_I can never win_

_Hearing them, seeing them_

_In the state I'm in_

_How could she say to me_

_Love will find a way_

_Gather round all you clowns_

_Let me hear you say_

_Hey you've got to hide your love away_

_Hey you've got to hide your love away_

 

It was the whole shebang. Charlie, Alex, Scott, and Ben were dressed as John, Paul, Ringo, and George. When the boys came off the ice, Meryl went up to Ben. "Ben, who chose that music?"

           Ben smiled at her. "Scott and Charlie pitched the idea, and Alex and I thought it was great."

Meryl nodded, letting it sink in.

           "Mommy, Mommy!" Ellie came over excitedly.

"What's up, Elle?"

           "Come on, come on, Charlie and Arya are on next." Ellie grabbed her mother's hand and led her as close to the boards as they could go.

* * *

Arya started the program off as a solo, appropriately dressed as Hannah Montana.

 

_I didn't wanna listen to what you were sayin'_

_I thought that I knew all I need to know_

_I didn't realize that somewhere inside me_

_I knew you were right but I couldn't say so_

_I can take care of myself, yeah, you taught me well_

_I learned from you that I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose_

_All of the reasons to keep on believin'_

_There's no question, that's a lesson, that I learned from you_

 

By now, Charlie had skated into the spotlight, and danced in sync with his _youngest_ daughter, and his spine chilled at the realization.

 

_We always don't agree on_

_What is the best way_

_To get to the place that we're going from here_

_But I can really trust you, and give you the distance,_

_to make your decisions without any fear_

_I'm grateful for all of the times_

_You opened my eyes_

_I learned from you that I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose_

_All of the reasons to keep on believin',_

_There's no question, that's a lesson_

_I learned from you_

_You taught me to stand on my own_

_And I thank you for that_

_It saved me, it made me,_

_and now that I'm looking back_

_I can say_

_I learned from you that_

_I do not crumble_

_I learned that strength is something you choose_

_All of the reasons to keep on believin',_

_There's no question, that's a lesson that I learned from you_

_I learned from you_

 

_I learned that strength is something you choose_

_All of the reasons to keep on believin',_

_There's no question, that's a lesson that I learned from you_

_I learned from you_

 

It was a sweet performance to watch, and no one clapped louder than Ellie. Arya smiled in her direction, but Charlie faced the audience. He had been looking forward to doing a number with his daughter since Marina had assigned them the opportunity. But now...now he felt like he was cheating Ellie. Meryl, on the other hand, she had an excuse, because Sara didn't skate. Because Sara danced. Like her father. Maks was her father. But Ellie didn't dance. Ellie skated, like her mother, and now, apparently, like her father. Because _Charlie_ was her father. _Not Maks_. But Ellie didn't know that. Or at least, Charlie imagined she didn't.

           "That was so good!" Ellie exclaimed as Arya stepped off, giving her a hug. _They're sisters_ , Charlie thought in disbelief. He looked up at Meryl, who look away and turned her attention towards the girls.

"That was a very sweet number, Arya," Meryl said sweetly as she walked towards the ice for her solo, ruffling Arya's hair as she did. Arya beamed.

Meryl took a deep breath before her blade hit the ice.

 

_Remember all the things we wanted_

_Now all our memories, they're haunted_

_We were always meant to say goodbye_

_Even with our fists held high_

_It never would have worked out right, yeah_

_We were never meant for do or die_

_I didn't want us to burn out_

_I didn't come here to hurt you now I can't stop_

_I want you to know_

_That it doesn't matter_

_Where we take this road_

_But someone's gotta go_

_And I want you to know_

_You couldn't have loved me better_

_But I want you to move on_

_So I'm already gone_

_Looking at you makes it harder_

_But I know that you'll find another_

_That doesn't always make you wanna cry_

_It started with the perfect kiss then_

_We could feel the poison set in_

_"Perfect" couldn't keep this love alive_

_You know that I love you so_

_I love you enough to let you go_

_I want you to know_

_That it doesn't matter_

_Where we take this road_

_But someone's gotta go_

_And I want you to know_

_You couldn't have loved me better_

_But I want you to move on_

_So I'm already gone_

_And I'm already gone, I'm already gone_

_You can't make it feel right_

_When you know that it's wrong_

_I'm already gone, already gone_

_There's no moving on_

_So I'm already gone_

_Ah already gone, already gone, already gone_

_Ah already gone, already gone, already gone_

_Remember all the things we wanted_

_Now all our memories, they're haunted_

_We were always meant to say goodbye_

_I want you to know_

_That it doesn't matter_

_Where we take this road_

_But someone's gotta go_

_And I want you to know_

_You couldn't have loved me better_

_But I want you to move on_

_So I'm already gone_

_And I'm already gone, I'm already gone_

_You can't make it feel right_

_When you know that it's wrong_

_I'm already gone, already gone_

_There's no moving on_

_So I'm already gone_

 

Meryl froze in her ending pose. She felt the emotions crawl up her back. Almost as if she had somehow just developed Charlie's asthma, she had to catch her breath to make sense of what was happening. Everything was starting to feel real, and she knew Charlie felt it too, because she could see him from the corner of her eye, and she still had that connection with him. Even if they both wished they didn't.

* * *

 

 Charlie had a look of shock, of hurt, on his face but he held back and remembered what Meryl had kept from him, so by the time she was stepping off the ice, his face was as cold and rigid as the frozen water they could so effortlessly create magic on.

           Charlie stormed off one way, and Meryl rolled her eyes and walked off the other way, leaving a confused Alex and Maia by the boards, ready to take their spots for their program.

 

_There are places I remember_

_All my life, though some have changed_

_Some forever not for better_

_Some have gone and some remain_

_All these places had their moments_

_With lovers and friends_

_I still can recall_

_Some are dead and some are living_

_In my life I've loved them all_

 

_But of all these friends and lovers_

_There is no one compares with you_

_And these memories lose their meaning_

_When I think of love as something new_

_Though I know I'll never lose affection_

_For people and things that went before_

_I know I'll often stop and think about them_

_In my life I love you more_

_Though I know I'll never lose affection_

_For people and things that went before_

_I know I'll often stop and think about them_

_In my life I love you more_

 

Both Meryl and Charlie, who were on opposite sides of the rink, had eyes the size of jumbo jawbreaker candies. Maia and Alex smiled slyly to themselves as the exited the ice for a quick costume change.

           Charlie came back to the entrance, leather jacket on, and hair gelled back to the way he'd styled it in 2014. Meryl showed up moments later, red lipstick, high ponytail, and skin-tight black outfit all in place. The rest of the girls showed up in 50-style sock hop skirts, and the boys showed up in pants and button down shirts of the same decade.

"I can't believe Marina added this number," Charlie muttered with an eye roll.

           "Oh, get over it, Danny," Meryl spat in annoyance. "You know it's her favorite musical."

"I wouldn't mind it as much if Sandy were a little truthful," he spat back, and both the girls and the boys stepped away. Before Meryl could come up with a comeback, they were called back onto the ice.

 

_Summer lovin', had me a blast_

_Summer lovin', happened so fast_

_Met a girl crazy for me_

_Met a boy cute as can be_

_Summer days drifting away_

_To, uh oh, those summer nights_

_Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Did you get very far?_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Like does he have a car?_

_She swam by me, she got a cramp_

_He ran by me, got my suit damp_

_Saved her life, she nearly drowned_

_He showed off splashing around_

_Summer sun, something's begun_

_But, uh oh, those summer nights_

_Well-a, well-a, well-a, uh!_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Was it love at first sight?_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Did she put up a fight?_

_Took her bowling in the arcade_

_We went strolling; drank lemonade_

_We made out under the dock_

_We stayed out till ten o'clock_

_Summer fling don't mean a thing_

_But, uh oh, those summer nights_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_But you don't gotta brag_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_'Cause he sounds like a drag_

_He got friendly holding my hand_

_Well, she got friendly down in the sand_

_He was sweet, just turned eighteen_

_Well, she was good, you know what I mean_

_Summer heat, boy and girl meet_

_But, uh oh, those summer nights_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_How much dough did he spend?_

_Tell me more, tell me more_

_Could she get me a friend?_

_It turned colder; that's where it ends_

_So I told her we'd still be friends_

_Then we made our true love vow_

_Wonder what she's doin' now_

_Summer dreams ripped at the seams_

_But, oh, those summer nights_

_Tell me more, tell me more._

 

As soon as they were free from Danny and Sandy, Meryl and Charlie ripped away from each other, something no one had ever seen them do, not even Tessa and Scott, who had always been around through their toughest moments.

           However, as much as they loved Meryl and Charlie, their problems were the least of Tessa and Scott's concerns as they took the ice.

 

_I can't fight this feeling any longer_

_And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow_

_What started out as friendship, has grown stronger_

_I only wish I had the strength to let it show_

_I tell myself that I can't hold out forever_

_I said there is no reason for my fear_

_Cause I feel so secure when we're together_

_You give my life direction_

_You make everything so clear_

_And even as I wander_

_I'm keeping you in sight_

_You're a candle in the window_

_On a cold, dark winter's night_

_And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might_

_And I can't fight this feeling anymore_

_I've forgotten what I started fighting for_

_It's time to bring this ship into the shore_

_And throw away the oars, forever_

_Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore_

_I've forgotten what I started fighting for_

_And if I have to crawl upon the floor_

_Come crushing through your door_

_Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore_

_My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you_

_I've been running round in circles in my mind_

_And it always seems that I'm following you, girl_

_Cause you take me to the places that alone I'd never find_

_And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight_

_You're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night_

_And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might_

_And I can't fight this feeling anymore_

_I've forgotten what I started fighting for_

_It's time to bring this ship into the shore_

_And throw away the oars, forever_

_Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore_

_I've forgotten what I started fighting for_

_And if I have to crawl upon the floor_

_Come crushing through your door_

_Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore._

 

Meryl and Charlie were standing next to each other at the boards, since they were up next, both of them feeling the tension that was waving off from the other. They were both thinking the same thing. They were in danger. This wasn't like old Meryl and Charlie. This was like the Meryl and Charlie they had been when they saw each other for the first time in eight years, but ten times stronger. They were also thinking of how sickening Tessa and Scott were, being the lovey-dovey couple that everyone hates. Meryl and Charlie would know; that used to be them.

* * *

 

 

"Done making me throw up in my mouth, Moir?" Charlie half-teased, half-complained as Scott and Tessa stepped off the ice. Meryl rolled her eyes.

           Scott chuckled. "Let's see you top that, White."

"Oh, it's on!" Charlie said with a laugh, stepping onto the ice. Meryl groaned and followed him on.

Tessa smacked the back of Scott's head with her palm. " _Ow_ , Tess! What was that for!"

           "Look what you've done!" Scott held his hands up in defeat with a look identical to that of a five-year-old who didn't know why they were in trouble. Which was really what he was. "You doofus," Tessa muttered.

           "But you love me anyway," he teased, excessively batting his eyelashes and pouting out his bottom lip.

Tessa sighed. "Yes, I love you anyway. Now shut up and let me watch."

 

Meryl and Charlie shook out their arms and necks as they centered into their spots.

 

_I set out on a narrow way many years ago_

_Hoping I would find true love along the broken road_

_But I got lost a time or two_

_Wiped my brow and kept pushing through_

_I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you_

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are_

_Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars_

_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road_

_That led me straight to you_

_I think about the years I spent just passing through_

_I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you_

_But you just smile and take my hand_

_You've been there you understand_

_It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true._

_Every long lost dream led me to where you are_

_Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars_

_Pointing me on my way into your loving arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road_

_That led me straight to you_

_Now I'm just rolling home_

_Into my lover's arms_

_This much I know is true_

_That God blessed the broken road_

_That led me straight to you._

_That God blessed the broken road_

_That led me straight to you._

 

Tessa and Scott looked on, their jaws dropped. "I think they may have won," she whispered.

           "Even when they're mad at each other," Scott mumbled in disbelief, shaking his head. "I'm so glad we didn't bet any money on that."

"You'd be likely to."

 

Meryl and Charlie stared at each other, breathing heavily to catch their breaths. The other performers were too stunned to realize that they missed their cue by a second, so they scurried onto the ice in a hurry for the final number, their final tribute to Marina. At least, of the night. They knew they'd get sucked into anniversary galas in a few years. But they didn’t mind.

           Like the opening number, Tessa and Scott started off with a mini solo, while the others skated about, keeping the attention on Tessa and Scott in the middle spotlight.

 

_I've heard it said,_

_That people come into our lives_

_For a reason_

_Bringing something we must learn._

_And we are lead to those_

_Who help us most to grow if we let them._

_And we help them in return._

_Well, I don't know if I believe that's true_

_But I know I'm who I am today_

_Because I knew you._

_Like a comet pulled from orbit_

_As it passes a sun,_

_Like a stream that meets a boulder_

_Halfway through the wood._

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better_

_But because I knew you._

_I have been changed for good._

 

Meryl and Charlie were next, and it was heartbreaking for everyone else to watch. For them, it was almost.... _empowering_.

 

_It well may be_

_That we will never meet again_

_In this lifetime._

_So, let me say before we part:_

_So much of me_

_Is made of what I learned from you._

_You'll be with me_

_Like a handprint on my heart._

_And now whatever way our stories end_

_I know you'll have rewritten mine_

_By being my friend._

_Like a ship blown from its mooring_

_By a wind off the sea._

_Like a seed dropped by a sky bird_

_In a distant wood._

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better_

_But because I knew you..._

_Because I knew you..._

_I have been changed for good._

 

Alex and Maia, being the siblings that they were, had called dibs on the last one, though now they felt like they wanted to make Meryl and Charlie take that part. But they knew they couldn't keep Meryl and Charlie near each other more than they already had to. And it pained them.

 

_And just to clear the air_

_I ask forgiveness_

_For the things I've done,_

_You blamed me for._

_But then,_

_I guess,_

_We know there's blame to share._

_And none of it seems to matter anymore._

 

All three pairs were in the center now, as the other skaters circled around, doing their jumps and spins, Ben even pulling Ellie and Arya into a double-lift.

 

_Like a comet pulled from orbit_

_As it passes a sun._

_Like a stream that meets a boulder_

_Halfway through the wood._

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better._

_I do believe I have been changed for the better._

_And because I knew you..._

_Because I knew you..._

_Because I knew you_

_I have been changed..._

_For good._

Meryl and Charlie hit their ending pose, their faces inches away from each other. Meryl let out a heavy breath as she grabbed Tessa's hand and cautiously grabbed Charlie's with her other hand as all the skaters formed a line across the ice. It was time to take a bow. It was time to face Charlie. It was time for the truth to finally spill out. And Meryl's stomach churned at the mere thought.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've Got To Hide Your Love Away- The Beatles  
> I Learned From You- Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus (from the Hannah Montana soundtrack)  
> Already Gone- Kelly Clarkson  
> In My Life- The Beatles  
> Summer Love- 'Grease'  
> Can't Fight This Feeling- REO Speedwagon  
> Bless The Broken Road- Rascal Flatts  
> For Good- 'Wicked'


	17. Thinking Out Loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the post-gala dinner, Meryl can't avoid Charlie anymore, so they face the problem. Well, part of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I promise you that all the chapters from now on will be completely drama-filled! Yay! Well, yay for me, because I love writing drama. Anyways, heads up: updates might drop to once or twice a week, because I'm pretty for the next month or so. But I promise I'll try to cram in at least two more before Monday.   
> Also, the song is called 'Thinking Out Loud' by Ed Sheeran.

Meryl's fingers shook as she undid the laces on her skates. From outside the locker room, she could hear Charlie’s laugh, along with a couple other voices. Her hands shook faster as she tried to change into her ballet flats before he came in. she heard the door creak open, and she silently cursed herself.

            “Oh, Meryl…uh…I’ll wait outside,” Charlie said awkwardly.

“No need,” Meryl said curtly, plastering on a smile. “I'm done.”

            Charlie avoided her eyes as he sat down on the bench. “You going to the dinner?” he asked, focusing deeply on his laces.

Meryl cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Yes, I am. Are you?”

            Charlie stood up, skates in hand, and walked over, pausing in front of her and looking her straight in the eye. “You bet.”

Meryl looked away. “Great. See you there, then.” She darted out and rushed to her car to get her dress.

* * *

 

When she came back, she was fully dressed in her strapless dark purple cocktail dress, black pumps, and her signature necklace. She spotted Charlie in the corner, drink in his hand, and they locked eyes for a moment before Tessa came over, and for that, Meryl was thankful.

            “Oh my god, Meryl, you look gorgeous!”

Meryl smiled. “Look who's talking! Tess, you look amazing!” Meryl had to admit, she never saw Tessa as a girl who would look good in dark colors, except for programs, but her sleek black dress fit her perfectly. “Scott wont be able to take his eyes off you,” Meryl added with a teasing wink.

           Tessa blushed. “And Charlie hasn’t been able to take _his_ off of yours!”

Meryl's smile faded. “Oh, um, I don’t think—”

           “No, look!” Tessa grabbed Meryl's shoulders and turned her around. Meryl quickly spun back to her.

“No, Tessa, please.” Meryl gave her a pained look, and Tessa immediately recognized it.

           “Whatever it is, you better fix it,” she said sternly.

“Believe me, I’ll try,” she mumbled.

           “Hey, ladies,” Scott greeted as he came over, putting an arm around Tessa, who giggled. “What's up?”

“Nothing. Just girl talk,” Meryl replied sweetly with a smile.

           Tessa noticed Charlie walking towards them and quickly nudged Scott. “Scotty! Come dance with me!”

“Aw, Tess, I just did that for the past two and a half hours,” he whined.

           “Oh, come on,” Tessa insisted, and of course Scott obliged.

* * *

Charlie cleared his throat. “Meryl.”

           Meryl jumped and turned around, looking up and internally groaning. “Oh, hey, Charlie.”

“We need to talk.”

           Meryl nodded. “I know.”

“Not here.”

           Before Meryl could ask anything, Marina came over and grabbed their hands. “You two—dance!”

“Marina, we just did that for you for almost three hours,” Charlie complained, annoyed at the interruption.

           “Still my night,” Marina pointed out stubbornly. “Now go dance.” She pushed them off to where dozens of couples, most noticeably Tessa and Scott, were slow-dancing to the song playing.

 

_When your legs don't work like they used to before_

_And I can't sweep you off of your feet_

_Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love_

_Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks_

Meryl cautiously rested her arms on Charlie's shoulders, and he carefully grasped her waist.

           “So…is it true? Is Ellie really…you know…mine?”

Meryl sighed. “Yes. I'm sorry, Charlie,” she added, noticing his face go pale.

           Charlie shook his head. “Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault.”

Meryl could easily tell he was holding back tears. She tightened her grip on his neck. “I should’ve told you before…”

 

_And darling I will be loving you till we're 70_

_And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23_

_And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

_Maybe just the touch of a hand_

_Oh me I fall in love with you every single day_

_And I just wanna tell you I am_

 

           “How long have you known?” Charlie asked, trying very hard not to go into a full on rant on how she was damn right she should’ve told him.

“Excuse me?” Meryl asked, puzzled.

           Charlie sighed. “How long have you known she was mine?”

“I always have. Charlie, I didn’t need any tests done. I've always known.”

 

_So honey now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud_

_That maybe we found love right where we are_

           Charlie braced himself for the next answer. “Does Maks know? Does _Ellie_ know?”

“No. No one knows. Well, except—”

           “Except Tanith,” he finished, annoyed.

Meryl nodded. “Look, Charlie, nothing has to change—”

           “Are you _serious?_ Nothing has to _change?_ Everything’s changed now, Meryl. Whether you like it or not.” Meryl bowed her head. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I couldn’t. I told you that you never had to hear from me again, and I didn’t want to break my promise.”

           “Meryl, that’s bullshit and you know it. Tell me the truth.”

Meryl sighed. “It’s true. Sort of. I wanted to break that promise, so bad, Charlie, I really did.”

           “What stopped you?” he whispered.

Meryl inhaled deeply. “Someone…someone wanted me to leave Michigan…and never see you again.”

            _“What?_ Who? _”_

She shook her head. “I can’t say anything. Not right know, at least.”

            “Meryl, I could’ve helped you! you could’ve _stayed_!”

Meryl snorted. “No, Charlie, you couldn’t have.”

           _“Why not?”_

 

_When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades_

_And the crowds don't remember my name_

_When my hands don't play the strings the same way_

_I know you will still love me the same_

_'Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen_

_And baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory_

_I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

_Maybe it's all part of a plan_

_I just keep on making the same mistakes_

_Hoping that you'll understand_

* * *

“Charlie, I promise I’ll tell you. I just can’t today.”

           “Why not? Meryl, I just found out my daughter’s best friend is also her sister. I need some answers.”

“It’ll ruin what you have with Tanith!” Meryl's eyes widened, hoping Charlie wouldn’t catch on.

           “I have _nothing_ with Tanith! I don’t love her! Meryl, we went over this!”

 

_But baby now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Place your head on my beating heart_

_Thinking out loud_

_That maybe we found love right where we are_

_So baby now_

_Take me into your loving arms_

_Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

_Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart_

_I'm thinking out loud_

“Charlie…”

           “Wait. What does Tanith have to do with any of this? Is _she_ the one that told you to leave?”

 

_That maybe we found love right where we are_

_Oh baby we found love right where we are_

_And we found love right where we are_

 

Meryl opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Luckily for her, her phone rang in her clutch. “Hello? Mom? Mom! Calm down, calm down. Tell me what happened. What? Oh, my God. Okay I’ll be right there.”

           “What happened?” Charlie eyes widened as he asked, concerned.

Meryl looked him dead in the eye. “It’s Ellie. She's in the hospital.”


	18. Daylight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie face some unexpected turn points when they meet Ellie in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so out of all the chapters in this story so far, this just might be my favorite. In all honesty, I was having a little writer's block on how to get to the final chapters, so I threw in that curveball at the end of the last chapter and I got stuck on how to write this chapter. Luckily for both of us, I think and write pretty quickly, so here we go. Oh, and I started crying when I got the idea for this chapter. So there's that.
> 
> The song is 'Daylight' by Maroon 5.

When they arrived at the hospital, it took Meryl about a second to burst through the clear glass door where Cheryl was pacing worriedly on the other side.

            “Mom! Mom, what happened? Where is she? Is she okay? What happened to her?”

“They took her into the room down the hall. She just stopped breathing and she collapsed,” Cheryl said in hysterics. “I don’t know what's wrong…”

            Meryl took her mother into a hug. “Shh, it’s okay, Mom, they’ll find it, whatever it is. They’ll find it.” _Her daughter—my daughter? Our daughter? — is in the hospital and she doesn’t know why and_ she's _the one comforting other people,_ Charlie thought. _That’s so Meryl of her._

“Ellie Davis?” the doctor called, walking into the hall.

            “I'm her mom,” Meryl stupidly raised her hand and quickly pulled it down as she ran over to the doctor.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Webber. Ellie’s asleep, but we’re still monitoring her breathing.” Meryl nodded and followed Dr. Webber, and Charlie subconsciously did the same. “Oh, I'm sorry, it’s family only,” he said sensitively.

            “Oh, it’s okay,” Meryl said quickly. “I want him there, actually.” She cleared her throat awkwardly. The doctor raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

* * *

 

Walking into the room, Ellie slept soundly, with only the sounds of her steady breaths within the mask and the beeps of the monitor to reassure everyone she was hanging in there. Meryl felt a tear drop down her cheek, and she buried her head in Charlie's shoulder, hearing him sniffle as he pulled her into a sideways hug.

            “What happened to her?” she asked desperately. “Why isn’t she awake?”

“It’s nothing life-threatening,” he assured them. “She's naturally asleep. She should wake up in a little while. We’re still looking for the direct source, though. Is there any trace of illnesses or diseases in your family?”

            “Um, not that I can think of. I mean, poor eyesight is common in my family, but that doesn’t have to do with shortness of breath.”

Dr. Webber nodded, flipping through his clipboard. “And what about on her father’s side?” Meryl froze, her mouth hanging open.

            “Asthma,” Charlie replied, before his face turned red.

“It doesn’t say anything here about Mr. Chmerkovskiy having asthma.”

            “He doesn’t,” Charlie said quickly. “But…uh, some of his…uh, cousins do.” He nodded nervously, proud of his answer.

The doctor raised his eyebrows. “Alright…so we’ll test that out, but I would bet anything that this was a severe asthma attack. Since, you know, apparently it floats around in the family.” Dr. Webber shot Charlie a look, and he smiled awkwardly. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, I’ll leave you two alone.”

            “Thanks, doc,” Meryl called sweetly. As soon as he was out of sight and earshot, Meryl slapped Charlie, who grabbed his arm. “Are you insane?” she hissed.

“Okay, first of all,” Charlie started, holding up a finger, “ _ow._ Second, I'm sorry! It was just instinct!”

            Meryl waved her hands in his face. “Okay, okay, whatever. Do you really think this is asthma?”

“To be honest, I’d rather it be asthma than anything serious.”

* * *

           From outside, they could hear a loud, angry voice. “Where is she? What do you mean they don’t know what's wrong?” _Maks._

Meryl and Charlie scurried out to the hall. Maks ran over to them. Well, to Meryl. “What's wrong?” he said worriedly.

           “They think she has asthma,” Meryl replied, as calm as she could possibly muster.

“How does she have asthma? Meryl, your family doesn’t have asthma, do they?”

           “No,” she whispered.

“And I _know_ my family doesn’t—”

           “Are you sure you don’t have a, I don’t know, cousin with asthma?” Charlie tried awkwardly.

Maks shot him a look. “ _Yes._ I'm sure. Meryl, _how does she have asthma?_ ”

           “I don’t know!” she said through tears, her lip quivering. “I. Don’t. Know.”

Maks was making Meryl cry, and that pained Charlie even more than the fact that he couldn’t be truthful to the doctor so that he could help Ellie. “I know.”

           “Charlie, no,” Meryl warned, a new stream of tears forming at her eyes.

Maks crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. “Oh yeah? Then why does she?”

           “Because her father does.”

Maks’ eyebrow furrowed. “I don’t have asthma,” he said stupidly.

            “I'm aware.”

“Then Ellie can’t have asthma, if that’s your argument.”

           “I _also_ didn’t say you were her father,” Charlie said bravely.

“Oh yeah? Then _who is,_ smartass?”

            “Charlie, _please,_ ” Meryl begged, but he waved her off.

“Well?” Maks waited, slightly amused.

           “I am.”

Maks scoffed. “Yeah, right. You're insane. Meryl, tell him he's insane.” Maks looked over to Meryl, who only hung her head, her shoulders shaking from the tears. “Meryl?” Maks asked, alarmed. “Tell him he's insane! Come on, Princess. Tell him.” When Meryl's state didn’t budge, Maks stormed off, slamming the door behind him.

           Meryl ran after him. “Maks, where are you going?”

“Home!” he roared.

           “But our flight’s tomorrow!” she called.

“Well, I'm leaving tonight. I can’t be in this damn town another minute.”

* * *

             Meryl walked back into the waiting room, a newly unwrapped rage surfacing. “You _idiot_!” she screeched. “How could you do that?”

“I couldn’t take it anymore, Mer, I'm so sorry. Really I am. But I had to. I couldn’t stand it.”

           Meryl rolled her eyes and turned to a shell-shocked Cheryl. “Mom, please, can you take Sara home?” both mother and daughter looked at the small girl sleeping peacefully on her grandmother’s lap. “I’ll call you if anything happens. And whatever you do, do _not_ let Maks take her if he stops by the house.” Cheryl nodded and gave Meryl a hug before doing as asked. She turned to Charlie. “I’m calling the airline to change my flight. You do whatever you want, since you're so good at that.” She walked away, already dialing a number.

  _They were leaving tomorrow._ He didn’t want them to leave. They _couldn’t_ leave. Ellie was his daughter. He wanted to see her as much as his eyes would let him. Of course, he'd wanted them to stay since the moment they arrived, but this only deepened his want.

* * *

Subconscious to his surroundings, Charlie slowly wandered into Ellie’s room, where it seemed one of the nurses had left the soft radio on for her.

 

_Here I am waiting_

_I'll have to leave soon_

_Why am I holding on?_

_We knew this day would come_

_We knew it all along_

_How did it come so fast?_

_This is our last night but it's late_

_And I'm trying not to sleep_

_Cause I know, when I wake, I will have to slip away_

Charlie pulled the chair closer to the hospital bed, and he took Ellie’s small, delicate hand in both of his, and stared at the beauty that was his hair and Meryl's features evenly displayed on the angelic face of this amazing little girl.

 

_And when the daylight comes I'll have to go_

_But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close_

_Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own_

_But tonight I need to hold you so close_

Charlie inhaled deeply to stop the tears from flowing, and Ellie stirred in her sleep. Charlie cursed himself for disturbing her, but he was also glad she was finally awake. He thought about getting Meryl, but then decided he wanted this for himself. Hell, Meryl was already pretty pissed at him already.

           “Daddy?” Ellie mumbled sleepily.

 

_Here I am staring at your perfection_

_In my arms, so beautiful_

_The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out_

_Somebody slow it down_

 

The plea caught Charlie off-guard. “Uh, no, Elle, it’s Charlie.”

           “I know."

"Your dad's, um, on a plane."

            "But _you_ are my dad, right?”

Charlie mouth hung open. He wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating because it was almost four in the morning, or if Ellie was a little disoriented. “Uh…” Ellie’s eyes fluttered open expectantly. “How did you…how did you know?”

           Ellie rolled her eyes. “I always knew.”

“You’ve only known me since November,” Charlie pointed out, frowning in confusion.

           “Okay I didn’t know it was _you,_ but I knew my ‘dad’ wasn’t really my dad. He had a connection with Sara that I never did.”

Charlie smiled. “You're pretty smart for a seven-year-old, you know.”

            Ellie smiled proudly. “I know.” Her face abruptly turned sullen. “Daddy, am I gonna be okay?”

 

_This is way too hard, cause I know_

_When the sun comes up, I will leave_

_This is my last glance that will soon be memory_

_Did she really just call him Daddy?_ Charlie knew he shouldn’t have told her, and he knew he shouldn’t allow her to call him that, but it felt so right, so he did. She stroked her hair caringly. “You'll be fine, sweetheart. You just have asthma. Just like me. Arya has it too.” Ellie smiled weakly. _Oh, crap,_ Charlie thought. _I have to tell Arya, don’t I? But wait, they're leaving tomorrow. But I don’t want them to leave…_

_And when the daylight comes I'll have to go_

_But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close_

_Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own_

_But tonight I need to hold you so close_

           “I want to go home,” Ellie said suddenly. “I hate hospitals.”

“It’s okay, Elle. Your flight’s tomorrow afternoon, I think.”

           Ellie shook her head. “No, not New York. I want to go _home,_ like where grandma and grandpa are.”

“You…you want to stay in Michigan?” She shrugged. Charlie leaned forward and hugged her tightly, feeling her light fingertips on his back.

 

_I never want it to stop_

_Because I don't wanna start all over_

_Start all over_

_I was afraid of the dark_

_But now it's all that I want_

_All that I want, all that I want_

“I don’t want you to go, either,” Charlie admitted.

           “Then why do I? Why can’t I stay here, with you?” Meryl was about to come in when she heard the conversation and came to a halt around the corner of the door.

Charlie sighed. “You live in New York, Elle. But I'm sure you'll be back for Easter! Maybe even Thanksgiving!” Meryl leaned against the wall, as if a knife was sticking out from it and stabbing her in the back.

 

_And when the daylight comes I'll have to go_

_But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close_

_Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own_

_But tonight I need to hold you so close_

           “So I won’t get to see you until then?”

“It seems that way.”

           “And I only have a few more hours with you?”

“Unfortunately.”

           Ellie’s face scrunched up in sadness as she pulled Charlie closer to her, letting her tears stain his dress shirt when she felt his reassuring hand wrap around her waist. She finally felt a connection with her father, and she wasn’t willing or ready to let that go.

 

_And when the daylight comes I'll have to go_

_But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close_

_Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own_

_But tonight I need to hold you so close_


	19. All Too Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie face the inevitable moment they've been avoiding since November--the goodbyes. They knew it was coming, but that didn't mean they were ready for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes I'm updating twice on the same day. I hope you don't mind, but I just had to. And I also might post tonight, like I normally do. I estimate the total will be about 30 chapters. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> Song is 'All Too Well' by Taylor Swift

“Good morning, Ellie. How're you feeling?” Dr. Webber asked, checking the monitor.

           Ellie smiled brightly. “Good. Can I go home?”

The doctor chuckled. “You're good to go. I’ll go get your mom.”

           Ellie nodded. “ ’Kay.”

A few minutes later, Meryl came in with a weak, relieved smile. “Hey, Elle! Ready to go?”

           “Mommy, I don’t want to go to New York.”

“Then where would we go?”

           “Home. To where there's a pool in the backyard. And where Giselle can play fetch. And where Arya and Dad are.”

“Sweetie, Daddy took a plane home last night. He’s in New York.”

           Ellie shook her head. “But he's not my dad, is he?” Meryl froze. _Charlie didn’t tell her,_ Meryl thought. _He wouldn’t_. “Mommy, please don’t make me go.”

Meryl sighed. “Ellie, we live in New York. We’re going back to grandma and grandpa’s _only_ to get our stuff and then you, me, Sara, and Giselle are going to the airport. And that’s that. No arguments, no excuses. Elle, I don’t want to hear it.” Charlie paused outside the door, pressed against the wall. Meryl walked out and caught Charlie's eye for a split second, before walking away and wiping a tear from falling.

           “She's not letting me stay,” Ellie said tearfully with her head down, recognizing the footsteps that entered the room.

“I told you she wouldn’t,” Charlie said reasonably.

           “Can’t you convince her to? Please?”

“Elle, I'm sorry, I can’t. She’s your mom. If she wants to take you back to New York, she can take you back.”

           “But _you're_ my dad! Can’t you do anything?”

“Ellie, trust me. I want you to stay as much as you do. I do. But your mom wants to take you back. And you can’t fight her about it, Elle. There are things in life that we won’t want to do, but we have to do them anyway.” Charlie smiled weakly. “Now come on. Let’s get your things packed.”

* * *

 “Meryl, honey, are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Cheryl asked, zipping up Sara’s backpack.

           “No, Mom, I can’t. I have to go back.”

“To him?”

           Meryl froze, her fingers shaking on her jacket’s zipper. “No, Mom, no. I _live_ there. I have to go back at some point.”

“He didn’t stop by, you know. I stayed up until three, just in case he tried to take Sara. He didn’t come.”

           Meryl swallowed hard. “Good. I'm glad. Proves a lot.”

“Then _why_ are you going back?” Cheryl pleaded, taking her daughter’s arms in her hands.

           “Mom, I know this doesn’t make sense now, but I promise, you'll see why soon enough, alright? Don’t worry.” Cheryl nodded. “I’ll call you when we land.”

Charlie sighed, walking in through the door. “Ready to go?”

           Meryl nodded. “Yeah, uh, let me get Giselle’s travel bag really quick.”

Charlie nodded, and Meryl rushed upstairs. She came down a few minutes later, the doggy bag in her hand.

           Charlie put all three suitcases in the trunk of his car, and Meryl picked up a tantrum-throwing Sara of the driveway ground and buckled her in before settling in the passenger seat, softly petting a resting Giselle, who was leaning against her arm.

 

* * *

To try and cover the awkward silence and ease the tension, Charlie switched on the radio, which was still on the station Arya had picked the last time they were there.

 

_I walked through the door with you, the air was cold,_

_But something 'bout it felt like home somehow._

_And I left my scarf there at your sister's house,_

_And you still got it in your drawer even now._

 

He eyed the space between the driver’s seat and the passenger’s seat, where there was a blob of gray fabric. It was the scarf he'd gotten her in 2009, after she got a cold at the rink. They'd gone to his sister Stephanie’s house for dinner that night, and she had accidentally left it behind. Stephanie had found it a few weeks before, and gave it back to Charlie. He had wanted to give it to her right then and there, but he figured he'd save it. Until now.

 

_Oh, your sweet disposition and my wide-eyed gaze._

_We're singing in the car, getting lost Upstate._

_Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place,_

_And I can picture it after all these days._

Ellie leaned her elbow on the window, convincing herself that the trees were so blurry because the car was moving fast, not because her tears blocked her view. When the blurriness faded a bit, and she felt a wet drop land on her thigh, she reached forward to the seat compartment on the back of Meryl’s chair, where an old Puffs soft pack was snuggled in. Ellie noticed a rolled up paper of some sort, and she pulled it out, out of curiosity. It was the April 2014 edition of the Skating magazine. She instantly recognized her parents on the cover. She looked up to the back of their heads in front of her, and then turned her eyes back to the magazine. They looked so _happy;_ it looked so right.

_And I know it's long gone,_

_And that magic's not here no more,_

_And I might be okay,_

_But I'm not fine at all._

Sara looked down at the brown-haired Barbie doll in her hands, which had been a Christmas present from Meryl. It was the special Olympic edition, and the doll was dressed in a long-sleeved light purple dress and plastic skates, with a gold medal sewn in to the shoulders of the dress. She took her backpack from the seat next to her, and pulled out the doll in the outside water bottle holder. It was her blond-haired Ken doll, dressed like a prince in a dark purple shirt with gold swirls. But it wasn’t the type of prince you would see walking out of Buckingham Palace, it was a prince you would hear about in a story. She looked over to the magazine in her older sister’s hands, then to the two adults in front of her, and then back to the dolls in her hand.

_'Cause there we are again on that little town street._

_You almost ran the red 'cause you were looking over me._

_Wind in my hair, I was there, I remember it all too well._

_Photo album on the counter, your cheeks were turning red._

_You used to be a little kid with glasses in a twin-size bed_

_And your mother's telling stories about you on the T-ball team_

_You tell me 'bout your past, thinking your future was me._

Charlie though about the past few months. The girls’ Valentine’s Day drawing in the photo album, the cabin in Omaha, their conversation in the garage at Christmas. He thought about how he went from wishing Meryl had never stepped foot in the rink to hoping she’d change her mind and cancel her flight. He knew they weren’t what they used to be, and he knew they could never fully go back to that, but he didn’t care.

_And I know it's long gone_

_And there was nothing else I could do_

_And I forget about you long enough_

_To forget why I needed to..._

_'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night._

_We dance around the kitchen in the refrigerator light_

_Down the stairs, I was there, I remember it all too well._

Meryl thought about all the memories she had with Charlie growing up, and how long it had taken her to be able to barely live with herself for leaving the way she had. She didn’t want go put herself through that again, of course, but she was also trapped. Maks was expecting her to come back to New York, and if she didn’t, it would stir up even more trouble.

_Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much,_

_And maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up._

_Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well._

_Hey, you call me up again just to break me like a promise._

_So casually cruel in the name of being honest._

_I'm a crumpled up piece of paper lying here_

_'Cause I remember it all, all, all... too well._

* * *

 

The car came to a halt, and all five passengers looked out to see people rushing in, pulling suitcases behind them, the sounds of the wheels like nails on a chalkboard in Charlie's ears.

_Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it_

_I'd like to be my old self again, but I'm still trying to find it_

_After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own_

_Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone_

Charlie helped Meryl and Giselle out, and took the suitcases out of the trunk as Meryl pulled Giselle’s bag over her shoulder and the girls strapped on their backpacks.

           “Girls, say goodbye to Charlie,” Meryl instructed, her voice quiet.

“Bye, Charlie,” Sara said sweetly, her pigtails bouncing as she jumped up to embrace him.

           Charlie smiled feebly. “Bye, Sara.”

“Bye,” Ellie said simply, grabbing her elbows around his neck.

Charlie rested his chin in the crook between her neck and shoulder, hugging her tightly. “Bye, Elle.”

 

_But you keep my old scarf from that very first week_

_'Cause it reminds you of innocence and it smells like me_

_You can't get rid of it 'cause you remember it all too well, yeah_

           The girls stood behind their suitcases as they watched their mother step forward, her legs shaking as she carefully placed her arm around Charlie's back.

“Please don’t go,” he whispered in her ear. “Please.”

           “I have to,” she replied, sniffling, a single tear tracing down her cheek and onto his shirt. “I'm sorry. Goodbye, Charlie.” She pulled away slowly.

“Bye,” he murmured, barely able to get it out.

           Meryl stepped away and led the girls into the airport.

 

_'Cause there we are again, when I loved you so_

_Back before you lost the one real thing you've ever known_

_It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well_

Charlie sighed as he got into the car. He sat there for a minute, leaning his head against the back of his seat. He heard the skies crackle and the light rain begin to fall. He looked over and noticed the scarf still on the armrest. His eyes widened. “Shit, shit, _shit_!”

           He grabbed the scarf and got out of the car, his shirt drenched within seconds. He didn’t care. It wasn’t about wanting her to have the scarf. It was about him wanting _her._ He'd lost her before. He didn't want to lose her again. He knew that feeling all too well.

“Meryl!” he called, running into the airport, the air conditioning sending chills down his wet back. “Meryl, wait!”

_Wind in my hair, you were there, you remember it all_

_Down the stairs, you were there, you remember it all_

_It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well_


	20. Shining Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and the girls are about to leave, but Charlie goes after her. Will he make it in time? If he does, what will he say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wasn't planning to add a song with this chapter, I was even gonna save the song. BUT...the chapter was too short the way I had originally written. So, I kinda had to rewrite it. Oh, well. Also, sorry this chapter is still pretty short and sucky compared to others...but it's really a filler so the next one makes sense. If you're wondering why this chapter is so sweet and fluffy, it's because you're about to get your heart ripped out in the next few :)
> 
> Song is 'Shining Star' by The Manhattans

Charlie ran through the terminal, jumping over people lying on the ground, waiting for their flight, and dodging suitcases. He could hear loud music coming from deeper in the building. _Probably traveling performers,_ he thought, not letting it slow him down.

 

_Honey, you are my shining star_

_Don't you go away_

_Wanna be right here where you are_

_Until my dying day_

_So many have tried, tried to find_

_A love like yours and mine_

* * *

  Meanwhile, Sara and Ellie were watching those traveling performers practice their dance in the far corner of the terminal. Meryl looked on from her seat, Giselle whimpering and pawing at her arm.

           “What?” Meryl asked, slightly annoyed.

Sara came over, her pigtails bouncing along as she skipped. “ _I_ think she misses Charlie,” she said matter-of-factly, propping her chin into her elbows as she leaned them on Meryl’s upper leg.

           “And _I_ think she's just tired of waiting here,” Meryl replied curtly, giving Sara a warning look.

“I agree with Sara,” Ellie peeped. “For once.”

           “She does not miss Charlie!” Meryl said, exasperated. “She barely knows him! I think if anything she misses DJ.”

The sisters looked at each other before Sara pointed out, “I miss Charlie. And I’ve known him since November.” Ellie shrugged in agreement.

           Meryl sighed. “Girls…”

“Come on, Mom, you must miss him!” Ellie implored.

            “Why ‘must’ I miss him?”

“Because you love him and he loves you!” Ellie practically screeched before angrily shrinking to the floor.

           “Ellie!” Meryl said, appalled.

“She's right.” All three Davis women turned to see an out-of-breath Charlie standing a few feet behind her. “Well, at least I hope she is.”

 

_Girl, don't you realize_

_How you hypnotize?_

_Make me, love you more each time_

_Honey I'll never leave you lonely_

_Give my love to you only_

_To you only, to you only_

* * *

           “Ch-Charlie,” Meryl stammered. Charlie smiled at her with pained eyes. “W-What are you doing here?” she awkwardly pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I'm not here to beg you to stay, alright? Because I know what you're gonna say. You’ve been saying for the past five months.”

           Meryl nodded. “So why _are_ you here?”

 

_Honey, you are my shining star._

_Don't you go away._

_Wanna be right here where you are_

_Until my dying day._

_Feels so good when we're lying here next to each other,_

_Lost in love._

Charlie took her hand. “Come over here.” She stood and walked over to the other wall. “I love you. I know I’ve been telling you that for months, I know, and I know that’s not going to change your mind about leaving. But I really need you to promise you won’t give up. Mer, you're my shining star. You're the Lucy to my Ricky. The Aunt Becky to my Uncle Jesse. The Rose to my Jack. The Rachel to my Ross. You're the Meryl to my Charlie.” He looked down and fiddled with her hands, and she blushed. “And it’s been that way since we were 10. And I’m never willing to let that go.”

           “Charlie, you know why I have to go back,” she whispered.

“I know, I know. But that doesn’t mean you're never coming back, right? There's always Easter! And Christmas. And…and Thanksgiving!”

           “Charlie what are you trying to say?”

“You love me, right, Mer?”

           “Of course I do—”

Charlie shook his head. “No, Mer. Do you _love_ me?”

 

_Baby, when we touch, love you so much._

_You're all I ever dreamed of._

_Honey I'll never leave you lonely;_

_Give my love to you only,_

_To you only, to you only._

* * *

Meryl took a deep breath. “Yes, Charlie. I do.”

“Then promise me that when you come back, if this is all cleared up, you'll give this a chance. A _real_ chance. The chance we never got eight years ago.” Meryl's mouth hung open, and Charlie raised his eyebrows expectantly.

           A voice came over the loudspeaker. “All boarding flight 217 to New York City please have your passports ready before boarding.”

“Mer,” Charlie pleaded, almost desperately. “Please.”

 

_Honey, you are my shining star._

_Don't you go away._

_Wanna be right here where you are_

_Until my dying day_

           “Mom, come on!” Sara said loudly from across the room, and Ellie shushed her.

“Mer,” Charlie pleaded again. Without a word, Meryl leaned up on her toes and grabbed the back of Charlie’s neck with her hand, kissing him lightly but deeply on the mouth. Charlie smiled against her soft lips. “Is that a yes?”

           Meryl pulled away and looked into his eyes. “Of course. I promise, Charlie. For you, it’s always a yes.” 

 


	21. Come Back...Be Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl is gone and she and Charlie must face the aftermath of feeling lost without each other, a feeling they know too well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the heart-wrenching begins. It's not that bad now, but it'll progressively get bad. Just a warning this *might* be the last chapter until next week; my busy schedule starts tomorrow.
> 
> Song is 'Come Back...Be Here' by Taylor Swift

“Daddy, we’re hooooome!” Sara called, bursting into their penthouse apartment. “Daddy?”

           “He's not here,” Ellie sighed.

“How do _you_ know?” Sara argued. Ellie smugly held up a piece of paper from the counter. “I can’t read,” Sara said stubbornly, crossing her arms.

           “It says he's in London,” Meryl said plainly, reading over her daughter’s shoulder.

“Why is he in London?” Sara asked.

           Meryl shrugged. “Don’t know, doesn’t matter.”

“Why doesn’t it matter?”

           Meryl paused before turning to the expectant five-year-old with a bright smile. “Because now he can’t interrupt our movie marathon, now can he?”

“I’ll make popcorn!” Sara exclaimed, running to the kitchen. Pausing to think, she ran to the DVD collection near the couch. “Ellie, you make it. I’m not allowed to use the microwave.”

           Ellie rolled her eyes. “As long as you don’t choose 10 Barbie movies.”

“Aw, not even the one where she’s an ice skater?”

           Ellie paused. “Fine. But _only_ that one.

“ _Fine_.”

           Meryl laughed at her daughters before rolling her suitcase into her room and coming back to the couch.

* * *

It had only been a few hours, but it felt like months. Like _years._ Charlie felt like a knife had been lodged in his heart, and taking it out would kill him. But he was already slowly dying.

           Tanith was away at a coverage job, and for that, he was thankful. From a couple door down, he could hear Arya’s music on full blast. He would normally tell her to turn it down, but this time, he could barely hear anything outside his thoughts, so he didn’t mind.

 

_You said it in a simple way,_

_4 AM, the second day,_

_How strange that I don't know you at all._

_Stumbled through the long goodbye,_

_One last kiss, then catch your flight,_

_Right when I was just about to fall_

_I told myself don't get attached,_

_But in my mind I play it back,_

_Spinning faster than the plane that took you..._

He looked down and checked his phone. Still no messages. From Meryl, anyway. He did have a few others, though.

 

 **Alex:** _How could you let her go?_

 

 **Maia:** _Have you heard from her?_

**Tanith:** _Landed 3 hours ago. You didn’t answer your phone._

**Scott:** _Dude, why’d you let her go?_

**Marina:** _I hear Meryl went back. You idiot._

**Tessa:** _Talked to Meryl. Not sure if she told you._

**Tanith:** _Charlie, answer your phone._

**Mom:** _Let me know if you need anything._

**Dad:** _You okay, bud?_

**Stephanie:** _Did you give her the scarf? You still have it, don’t you?_

**Tanith:** _Charlie, I'm serious, answer your damn phone._

He wasn’t going to call Tanith. He wasn’t going to reply to anyone. Not even Tessa. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Except Meryl. He would always want to talk to her.

 

_And this is when the feeling sinks in,_

_I don't wanna miss you like this,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

_I guess you're in New York today,_

_I don't wanna need you this way,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

* * *

By 8:15, Sara had fallen asleep in the middle of her precious Barbie movie. Meryl stayed with her and let Ellie go to her room. Ellie had her stereo playing, and Meryl could hear the light buzz of the music two rooms away.

 

_The delicate beginning rush,_

_The feeling you can know so much,_

_Without knowing anything at all._

_And now that I can put this down,_

_If I had known what I'd known now,_

_I never would have played so nonchalant._

* * *

“Daddy?” Charlie noticed the music had gotten a bit louder.

 

_Taxi cabs and busy streets,_

_That never bring you back to me,_

_I can't help but wish you took me with you..._

           “Yeah, pumpkin?”

“Didn’t you say Meryl took Ellie and Sara back to New York?”

           “She did…why?”

Ellie came closer to Charlie and showed him the article on her computer. Charlie swallowed.

**_ Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Meryl Davis Spend Family Time in London _ **

        Charlie looked closer at the picture. Meryl walked next to Maks, without touching his arm like she used to, Ellie walking beside her, holding her hand. Maks was carrying Sara, who hid her face in her father’s shoulder, hiding from photographers. None of them were smiling. Except for Maks. Charlie swore he'd seen that picture before, but he couldn’t pinpoint where he had.

 

_And this is when the feeling sinks in,_

_I don't wanna miss you like this,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

_I guess you're in London today,_

_I don't wanna need you this way,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

 

“Daddy, why did you say they were going to New York?”

           Charlie was speechless. “I…I…that’s what she told me. I'm sorry, Ar, I didn’t know. I'm so sorry.”

* * *

Meryl looked out the window, where a single raindrop fell against the glass, before it was followed by a few thousand more, each pattering softly against the window, like Ping-Pong balls.

 

_This is falling in love in the cruelest way,_

_This is falling for you and you are worlds away._

“Mom! Mom, look!” Ellie came running, her computer in hand.

           “What is it, Elle?” Meryl looked at the screen, set on an article that featured a picture of Charlie at an airport, Tanith walking behind him, holding Arya’s hand.

**_ Charlie White, Tanith Belbin travel from London to New York City_**

           “That’s not possible,” Meryl declared persistently. “He was in Michigan when we left.”

Ellie shrugged. “Arya told me Tanith was going to London for something. I forget what it was though.”

           “Even if that is true, why would he be coming here?” Ellie opened her mouth to speak. “Don’t answer that,” Meryl cut in quickly, and Ellie smiled knowingly at her.

 

_New York... be here._

_But you're in London and I break down,_

_'Cause it's not fair that you're not around._

* * *

A few hours later, Charlie and Arya were eating dinner by the windowsill in his room, watching the night sky, her music still faintly playing, but Charlie still didn’t mind.

 

_This is when the feeling sinks in,_

_I don't wanna miss you like this,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

_I guess you're in New York today,_

_And I don't wanna need you this way,_

_Come back... be here, come back... be here._

Arya’s iPod gave a little beep that it was about to die, and she got up announcing, “I'm gonna get my charger.”

           While she was gone, Charlie noticed something in the sky. “Arya, hurry up! There's a shooting star!”

“I’ll be there in a minute!” Arya called back. “Make your own wish first.” Charlie smiled.

           “Come back, come back, please, please, come back…” Charlie muttered into the air.

“Who come back where?” Arya asked suddenly, appearing behind him to plug in her iPod to the outlet near the nightstand.

           Charlie's fork went flying across the room. “Uh, um…I saw…a…uh…balloon floating away,” Charlie nodded unconvincingly.

Arya gave him a look. “Come on, Dad. It wasn’t even our balloon.”

           “Oh, come on, Ar. Don’t push me. You know me better than anyone else.”

Arya shrugged. “True. Wait, actually, there _is_ one person who knows you better than I do.”

           Charlie snorted. “Arya, your mother doesn’t know me at all.”

Arya shook her head. “I didn’t mean her.”

           Charlie looked his daughter straight in the eye. “Then who did you…”

Arya raised her eyebrow. “I think you know.”

           “Did you mean…”

“Yep.” Charlie smiled, looking out the window and to the sky, the pain clear in his eyes. “You miss her don’t you?” Arya asked softly, putting her arms around her father and leaning her head on his shoulder.

           “More than you can ever imagine.”

“Me too,” she whispered. They sat there for a minute before Arya broke the silence. “Daddy, can you promise me something?”

           “What's that, pumpkin?”

“If— _when_ Meryl comes back…don’t let her go, okay? Ever. Promise?”

 

_I don't wanna miss you like this._

_Come back... be here._

_Come back... be here._

           Charlie smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I wasn’t planning to.”


	22. Already Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie, Arya, and Marina come to a sudden and shocking realization, and immediately begin to scheme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay the first week of my busy summer is DONE!! So I'll probably update five times this weekend, and I'll end up finishing the story by next weekend. Or this weekend, if I'm able to. You guys are lucky I think and write pretty quickly. Anyway, this is neither fluff nor angst, as much as I love writing angst. No, this is good ol' Marina up to her old tricks, this time dragging in two smart, mischievous, girls.  
> Song is "Already Home" by A Great Big World

“Hey, Elle, how was school?” Meryl asked as she looked up from the couch to see Ellie run through the door.

           “Fine, thanks, I’ll be in my room,” she said quickly,

“Alright, alright,” Meryl said with a laugh. She turned to Lilly, her babysitter. “Thanks, Lilly. What's gotten into her?”

           “I'm not sure. She's been hyper all day according to her teacher.” Meryl nodded. There was an awkward silence. “So…how’s the divorce going?” Lilly asked timidly, not wanting to strike a nerve.

Meryl sighed. “Maks is _actually_ trying to fight me for the girls. Can you believe that? I mean, first of all, he’s rarely in New York. And when he is, the most he stays is for a week. What does he plan to do? Take them with him around the world? They're not even ten; that’s not going to happen.”

           “I’m sorry,” Lilly said quietly, not knowing what else to say. “I really do hope things turn out the way they should. I'm sorry I won’t be there by then.”

Meryl's head whipped up. “What?”

           Lilly’s mouth dropped into an O. “My mom didn’t tell you? We’re moving to Michigan in two weeks.”

Meryl raised her eyebrow. “Really? What part?”

           “Bloomfield Hills.”

_“Really?”_

           “Yeah. Sorry, I thought she told you.” Lilly checked her phone. “I should go. See you tomorrow, Meryl.”

“Okay, bye, Lilly.”

* * *

“Come on, come on, come on,” Ellie mumbled, tapping her fingers on her computer. She had something important to discuss with Marina and Arya, and she hoped they hadn’t forgotten. Arya had even had to teach Marina how to IM, so that _better_ not have gone to waste.

**_Marina Zueva has connected._ **

**_Arya has connected._ **

“Yes!” Ellie said in success.

 

 **Arya:** What was so important that Marina needed to learn how to IM?

**Ellie:** Open the video I sent.

**Marina:** We already watch. We already know Meryl very good skater.

**Ellie:** No, no, no. Arya, do you still have the video you took of Charlie?

**Marina:** What video??

**Arya:** He was having one of his personal “sessions” the other day, so I filmed it.

 

 **Marina:** Ellie, that what you did with Meryl?

**Ellie:** Yup. I realized something while watching them. Play them side by side at the exact same time. I have to go eat lunch, but tell me when you do.

**Arya:** Okay.

**_Ellie has disconnected._ **

**Marina:** Wait, what happening? Ellie, where you go?

Ellie had a few minutes before her belated lunch was ready, so she decided to watch the videos again, out of pure fascination. On the right she opened the one of Meryl, and paused it before it could play. On the left she put Charlie’s, and plugged her earphones in just in case Meryl walked by.

* * *

 

_You say love is what you put into it_

_You say that I'm losing my will_

_Don't you know that you're all that I think about?_

_You make up a half of the whole_

_You say that it's hard to commit to it_

_You say that it's hard standing still_

_Don't you know that I spend all my nights_

_Counting backwards the days 'til I'm home?_

_If only New York wasn't so far away_

_I promise the city won't get in our way_

_When you're scared and alone,_

_Just know that I'm already home_

 

Though in different rinks, and even different states, Meryl and Charlie had not only chosen the same song, but if Ellie moved the windows close enough together, the ice on the screen became one, and so did Charlie and Meryl. Every move was in sync, to the millisecond.

 

_I say that we're right in the heart of it_

_A love only we understand_

_I will bend every light in this city_

_And make sure they're shining on you_

_If only New York wasn't so far away_

_I promise the city won't get in our way_

_When you're scared and alone,_

_Just know that I'm already home_

And in the few seconds that Charlie froze in place, he looked in the direction of Meryl's side of the screen, where she continued skating, and vise versa. It fascinated Ellie every time she watched it, it left Arya in shock, and it made Marina smirk smugly.

_When life takes its own course_

_Sometimes we just don't get to choose_

_I'd rather be there next to you_

_Promise you'll wait for me, wait for me_

_Wait 'til I'm home_

_All I have is this feeling inside of me_

_The only thing I've ever known_

_If only New York wasn't so far away_

_I promise the city won't get in our way_

_When you're scared and alone,_

_Just know that I'm already home_

_If only New York wasn't so far away_

_I will be there every step of the way_

_When you're scared and alone,_

_Just know that I'm already home_

_Just know that I'm already home_

* * *

**Arya:** Oh. My. _God!_

**Ellie:** Right?

**Marina:** I _knew_ it. No time apart could change they soul mates.

**Arya:** We have to do something.

**Ellie:** I agree.

**Marina:** I have idea. I heard Scott going to propose to Tessa.

**Ellie:** _Finally!_ But wait…what does that have to with this?

**Marina:** They probably get married in Michigan.

**Arya:** Which means Meryl will have to come back!

**Ellie:** Hey, me too!

**Arya:** Yeah, but no one's trying to bring you back to your soul mate.

**Marina:** Exactly.

**Ellie:** I can feel the love.

**Arya:** Oh, get over it. We have a plan. Now let’s get to it.

**Ellie:** I can tell she really wants to come back. It's like she's already home.

 

 **Arya:** I think we have a pretty good chance at succeeding without getting caught.

**Marina:** Oh, we do. _Trust_ me, we do.


	23. All Of The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie have withdrawals about the past few weeks, but they only have until her plane lands to solve them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is mostly a filler chapter, so it's a bit short. It was supposed to be posted last night, but it didn't feel right, so I tweaked it a bit. I decided that this will be a total of 30 chapters, and I'll try to update tonight. :)

“Hello?” Meryl mumbled sleepily into the phone.

           “Meryl!” Tessa shrieked on the other end, making Meryl pull away from the receiver. “You won’ _believe_ what just happened!”

“Tessa, do you know what time it is?” Meryl muttered, a throbbing headache beginning to form. She looked over to her alarm clock with her blurred vision as tears formed in her eyes while she yawned heavily.

           “Do _you_?” Tessa retorted. Meryl's vision cleared. It was only 9:30.

“Ugh, sorry, Tess. It was a long day.”

           “Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?”

“It’s okay, I fell asleep on the paperwork, anyway. So, what's the big news?”

           As if waiting for the subject to roll back to her, Tessa wasted no time in breaking the news. “Scott proposed!”

Meryl sat up in a flash. “Oh, my God, really? Tess, that’s amazing! We were all betting on how long it would take you two!”

           “I could say the same thing about you and Charlie,” Tessa uttered, thinking Meryl wouldn’t hear her.

But she had. “Tessa…” she warned.

           “Sorry. But it’s true!”

“Alright! Moving on! Have you thought about a date yet?” even though she had _just_ gotten engaged, Meryl expected that Tessa, being the planner that she was, had already given it some thought.

           “Actually…we were thinking in two, three months.”

Meryl sighed. “Tessa, you're not pregnant, are you?”

           “No!” she could feel Meryl's unconvinced glare on the other end. “I swear I'm not. I’ll even drink every drink we’ll serve to prove it.”

“Woah, woah, woah. We don’t want Scott to have a drunk bride on his wedding night, now do we?”

           Tessa sighed. “Good point. I’m not pregnant, though. I promise.”

“Alright, Tess, I believe you, I believe you.”

           “Meryl?”

“Yeah?”

            “Will you be my maid of honor?”

Meryl had to admit, she was a little shocked. Tessa was one of her best friends, so she was honored, especially after how they had been able to patch things up years before. “Of course I will! Tess, you're one of my best friends!”

           “Oh, I'm so glad! Okay, so you can come back to Michigan as soon as possible, right?”

“What? Tessa, you said three months!”

           “Yeah, but the maid of honor has to help the bride _plan._ Duh.”

Meryl could practically feel Tessa’s eye roll. “I’ll see what I can do.”

           “Oh, no need. Charlie and Scott already got plane tickets for you and the girls. On an airline that will let you bring Giselle.”

“Are you sure you didn’t know about this proposal? It all seems so well planned out…I didn’t think Charlie and Scott were capable of doing something together without screwing up.”

           “I promise you, I was just as surprised as you were. I think Marina may have helped, though.”

“That would explain a lot.”

           “Okay, so can you make it?”

Meryl sighed and flipped open the planner on her bed. “When’s the flight?”

           “Tomorrow night?” it sounded more like a question, and Tessa thought she would bleed; she was biting down on her lip so hard.

“Tessa!” Meryl scolded.

           “Oh, come on, Mer! It’s my wedding! Pretty please?”

“Fine. You owe me, Tess.”

           “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll plan _your_ wedding, how does that sound?”

“Tessa, I’m getting _divorced,_ not married.”

           “You never know,” she insisted.

“Alright, suit yourself. Listen, I have to go _pack_ now, so I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

           “Okay, bye, Meryl! I love you!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

* * *

“Did she say yes?” Ellie asked desperately into her home phone.

           “Yup! She’s packing right now!”

“ _Yes!_ Thanks, Aunt Tessa.”

           “Oh, it was nothing. She would’ve been my maid of honor either way.”

“Still. We should probably tell Marina…”

           “She and Charlie are giving Scott some lecture about taking care of me or they’ll kill him and whatnot, so I’ll tell her when they're done spooking him, alright?”

“Okay! This is so exciting!”

           “Do you think it'll work? What if they figure it out?”

Ellie heard a light beep, bug ignored it, thinking nothing of it. “I hope it does. And I don’t think they will. Marina says they won’t, so I'm counting on that.”

           “Ellie, bed. _Now._ ” Meryl's voice boomed through the phone. Ellie had forgotten to hide the second phone.

“But Mom, Aunt Tessa was just telling me that Uncle Scott proposed!”

           “I’m sure she was. But it’s bedtime. Actually, it’s way _past_ bedtime.”

“Aunt Tessa…” Ellie pleaded.

           “You heard her, kiddo. We’ll talk when you get here.”

_“Fine.”_

* * *

“We’re going to Michigan! We’re going to _Michigan!_ ” Sara said in a singsong voice as she skipped around the waiting area at the airport.

           “Sara, come here and stay still,” Meryl ordered. “Stop disrupting people.”

“Sorry, I’m excited!”

           “You were in Michigan two months ago!”

“But I like it there!”

           Meryl smiled softly. “I do, too, sweetie. I do, too.”

“We will now begin to board Flight #397 to Detroit,” the flight attendant announced from the loudspeaker at the desk. “Please have your passports ready.”

           Meryl took a deep breath and stood up. “That’s us. Here we go.”

After eating the airline dinner, Meryl had insisted the girls take a nap, but the personal TVs offered movies, so Meryl ended up taking a nap herself.

* * *

 Back in Michigan, Charlie laid on his bed, tossing a toy ball to the ceiling and catching it on its way down, over and over. Meryl was coming back. He'd been waiting for this ever since she left, but he wasn’t prepared. What if she and Maks had decided to try and fix their mess of a marriage? What if Meryl changed her mind about her promise? He wouldn’t hold it against her; he could never do that to her. But it would hurt. And he wasn’t sure what to expect.

           After dinner, he had let Arya watch TV, and he wasn’t sure what she was watching, but he trusted her to choose her own program, unlike Tanith. About two hours later, he heard a soft buzz from the TV, and realized it was a song. _She must be watching a movie_ , Charlie thought.

 

_It's just another night and I'm staring at the moon_

_I saw a shooting star and thought of you_

_I sang a lullaby by the waterside and knew_

_If you were here, I'd sing to you_

_You're on the other side_

_As the skyline splits in two_

_Miles away from seeing you_

They were the end credits, Charlie realized. He walked down to the living room.

“What are you watching?” he asked.

           “ _The Fault In Our Stars,_ ” Arya replied, trying to hide the nearly empty tissue box next to her.

“What's it about?” Charlie had seen the movie, but he didn’t want Arya to think he'd seen the tissues.

           “Oh, some classic love story,” Arya responded nonchalantly.

“Aren’t you too young for love stories?”

           Arya turned to him. “You're never too young for a love story.”

“Okay…” Charlie knew Arya was smart, but he wasn’t prepared for his little girl to outsmart him. Not just yet. “But last time I checked, this was about star-crossed lovers. Pretty cheesy, don’t you think?”

           Arya shrugged. “ ’Lil bit,” she admitted.

“Aren’t you a little too old for those types of stories?”

           Arya snorted. “Daddy, you're never too old for star-crossed lovers.” She paused momentarily. “You should know,” she added in a mumbled voice.

But Charlie caught it. “And how should I, exactly? Ar, your mom and I—”

           “Who said anything about Mom?”

Charlie's mouth hung open. “I—”

           “I’ll be in my room,” she said quickly, darting upstairs and leaving Charlie dumbfounded, the credits still rolling.

_But I can see the stars from America_

_I wonder do you see them too?_

_So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will lead_

_Into the night with me_

_And I know these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home_

* * *

“Mommy, Mommy, wake up,” Ellie slowly shook Meryl's shoulder.

           “What happened? What are you watching? Why are you crying?”

“ _The Fault In Our Stars,_ ” Ellie said wearily.

           “Oh, honey.” Meryl didn’t question _why_ she would watch it, she just hugged her.

“She’s been crying for the past half hour,” Sara said, taking her ear buds out. “It’s really annoying.”

           Meryl laughed, and Ellie tried slapping her, but missed. “And what would _you_ be watching, Miss Sara?”

“ _My Little Pony,_ ” she answered, a proud smile on her face.

           “Of course.” Meryl sighed, rolling her eyes with a smile.

 

_I can hear your heart on the radio beat_

_They're playing_ "Chasing Cars" _and I thought of us_

_Back to the time you were lying next to me_

_I looked across and fell in love_

_So I took your hand_

_Back through lamp-lit streets I knew_

_Everything led back to you_

_So can you see the stars over Amsterdam?_

_Hear the song my heart is beating to_

 

A few minutes later, Meryl managed to get Ellie and Sara to fall asleep. She leaned her head against the window and watched the lights below. The stars were shining bright that night, and she watched a single shooting star fly across the ink-black sky.

           She was so close to seeing Charlie. Her stomach churned, but not the same way it had a few months before. This time she _wanted_ to see him. And she thought, she hoped, he would want to see her. She worried he changed his mind since the day she left. She worried about Tanith. What would she say? What would she _do?_ She didn’t have anything against her anymore. Did she?

* * *

Charlie sat on the windowsill, leaning his head against the glass. He couldn’t sleep. Not only was Meryl coming back, but also Arya was smart enough to know Charlie wasn’t happy. He'd tried to keep it from her, but he should’ve known she would figure it out sooner or later. How long had she known? What did she think of it? Was she disappointed? Would she want to live with Tanith? Charlie’s head began to pound, so he pressed his forehead to the cold window and watched a bright shooting star dart across the tiny diamond-like constellations. But among all the stars in the sky, Meryl shone the brightest. _Meryl_. She was coming. Meryl was coming. And that was all that mattered right now. It was all he wanted right now. But he wasn’t prepared, as much as he wanted to be. He missed her. But did she miss him the same way?

_So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will leave_

_Into the night with me_

_And I know these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home_

 


	24. Don't Deserve You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl comes home and prepares for the worst, but her welcome home from Charlie is nothing like she anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the delay! I was having a little writer's block; juggling around a couple songs, but I managed to figure out a way to use all the ones I had.

When the plane landed in Michigan, the first thing that popped into Meryl's mind was that she would have to see Charlie. And the thought itself chilled her to the core.

            “How are my favorite girls?” a gruff voice asked from the car parked outside the airport.

Meryl smiled. “Hi, Dad.”

            Paul gave Meryl a curt but tight side hug as he picked up a giggling Sara and settled her in her car seat. “Hey, Ellie Belle, can I talk to you?” Meryl looked at him with a weird look. “You get in the car with Sara.”

“Sure, Grandpa. What's up?”

            Paul looked towards the car to make sure his daughter couldn’t hear him. “Is the plan in action?”

Ellie smiled. “Yup. So far everything’s going according to plan.”

            Paul nodded. “Good. Now let’s go. Marina said Charlie might leave early today.”

 

“Dad, we just passed our turn,” Meryl pointed out.

            “What? No, we didn’t.” he winked to Ellie from the rearview mirror.

“Dad, I saw that! Where are you going?”

            “What do you mean?” Paul asked innocently.

“Dad come on, I just want to go home and take a nap,” Meryl whined.

            “Marina needs to see you,” he replied simply.

“Why?”

            Paul shrugged. “Who knows? It’s Marina.”

 

When they arrived at the rink, no one got out of the car. “Well? Aren’t you all coming?” Meryl asked.

            “Uh, yeah, in a minute. You go ahead though,” Paul answered.

Meryl rolled her eyes. “You guys are impossible.”

* * *

 

“Hi, Meryl,” Nicole, one of Charlie’s students, greeted her as she walked by.

            “Hey, Nicole,” Meryl responded with a smile. “Do you happen to know where Marina is?”

“Um, I haven’t seen her today. Sorry.”

            “That’s weird, apparently she needed to see me…” Meryl sensed some foul play and interference, but said nothing.

“Oh I think I heard her say something last week about you helping Charlie.”

            “Helping Charlie?” she asked, puzzled.

“With…coaching?” Nicole clarified, as if it was obvious.

            “Oh, um, yeah, okay. When does she want me to…uh…start?”

Nicole smiled. “That’s the best part. She wants you to help Mark and me at our next lesson with Charlie. See, we’re supposed to be doing this ‘romantic but not so lovey-dovey program’, as Marina put it, for the gala performances next season but Charlie just isn’t seeing it. Tanith volunteered herself to demonstrate with Charlie, but that only made Mark and me worse. Marina says you could help.”

            Meryl nodded, suppressing an eye roll. “When’s your next lesson?”

“In five minutes.”

            Meryl froze. She had to see Charlie in _five minutes?_ “I...I don’t have my skates,” Meryl said, satisfied with her answer.

As if on cue, Paul came running in with Ellie and Sara bolting in front of him. “Meryl! Meryl, you forgot your skates in the car!” Meryl shot him an ‘Are you kidding me?’ look, and Paul raised his eyebrow slyly in return.

            She turned slowly to an expectant Nicole. “I’ll be on the ice in five,” she said awkwardly.

"I'll tell Charlie," Nicole replied happily, bouncing away with a smug smile.

* * *

In the locker room, Meryl paced around, shaking her body, the way she used to before competitions. And in a way, it was exactly what she was preparing herself for. It was a competition between her, her feelings, her better judgment, and fate.

            Taking a deep breath, she walked out and slowly stepped onto the ice, where she could see Charlie talking to Mark and Nicole. She hoped to sneak up on them without causing a scene, but Nicole spotted her.

“Meryl!” she waved excitedly.

            _Dammit,_ Meryl thought. She put on a smile and waved back as skaters and coaches alike turned to see the gold medalist meet her partner, who only smiled momentarily before turning back to his protégés. _Crap! Is he mad? Does he not want me here?_ Meryl’s mind throbbed with worry before her thoughts were cut off by Charlie’s voice.

“Okay, so Nicole filled you in on our issue, correct?”

            Meryl nodded. “You’re not seeing the romantic-but-not-so-lovey-dovey jest from them.”

Charlie smiled. “Exactly. So I thought you and I could show them.”

            “Which program?”

“Well, which do you remember?”

            “All of them,” she answered quickly. A little too quickly.

Charlie smiled, trying to hide something. Awkwardness? Embarrassment? Laughter? “I was thinking we could do a song we haven’t done before.”

“Okay…which one?”

            “I’m not sure.” Meryl raised her eyebrow questioningly. “The next one that comes on, whatever it is, that’s what we’ll do,” he clarified.

“I told him to do one of your old ones, like maybe ‘ _Fade Into You’,_ but he wouldn’t listen,” Mark put in.

            Charlie turned to him. “That’s because those were _choreographed._ I need you guys to get the actual _feel_ of it.”

‘Fade Into You’ _was_ choreographed _for him?_ Meryl thought. _That’s all it was to him? Just choreography?_

“You ready, Meryl?” Charlie asked. Meryl's head popped up. She noticed he didn’t call her Mer.

“How will I know what steps to do, though?”

            Charlie looked her in the eye and smiled. “Improv with me, Davis. How many times have you won those dance competitions at The Ice? Besides, we always know what the other is thinking. I think we’ll be fine.” He pushed her lightly on her upper arm, making her glide forward before she swiftly stopped, snow flying on his pants. She smirked, and he rolled his eyes with a smile before they both made their way to the center of the ice, waiting for the next song to start.

* * *

_You're the first face that I see_

_And the last thing I think about_

_You're the reason that I'm alive_

_You're what I can't live without_

_You're what I can't live without_

Just like Charlie had said, they moved swiftly together, as if they had been practicing for months. Meryl avoided Charlie’s gaze; she could sense tension and questions she knew she would have to answer.

 

_You never give up_

_When I'm falling apart_

_Your arms are always open wide_

_And you're quick to forgive_

_When I make a mistake_

_You love me in the blink of an eye_

“Why were you in London?” Charlie asked.

            Meryl cursed herself. Of course he would ask her now—she had nowhere to run, and they were used to talking in the middle of performances. But…London? “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t lie to me, I saw the headline. You and Maks were in London right after you left Michigan!”

            “What? No I wasn’t! Maks went to London. _Alone._ It was probably something the media cooked up.”

“Oh.”

            “Yeah, ‘oh.’ I could ask you the same thing.”

“What are _you_ talking about?”

            “You were in New York, weren’t you?”

_I don't deserve your love_

_But you give it to me anyway_

_Can't get enough_

_You're everything I need_

_And when I walk away_

_You take off running and come right after me_

_It's what you do_

_And I don't deserve you_

Charlie didn’t answer, securing Meryl safely in their signature rotational split lift before gracefully landing her blades back on the ice.

_You're the light inside my eyes_

_You give me a reason to keep trying_

_You give me more than I could dream_

_And you bring me to my knees_

_You bring me to my knees_

“No,” he finally replied, a little coldly. “Where did you hear that.”

            “Ellie found an article,” Meryl informed him. “It said you were traveling from London to New York as a _family._ ”

“Tanith was in London for a coverage job. They must have thought Arya and I went with her. She hasn’t come back yet, by the way.”

_Your heart is gold and how am I the one_

_That you've chosen to love_

_I still can't believe that you're right next to me_

_After all that I've done_

            “So, Marina didn’t really need me, did she?” Charlie didn’t respond, his face going stiff. “Charlie…”

_I don't deserve your love_

_But you give it to me anyway_

_Can't get enough_

_You're everything I need_

_And when I walk away_

_You take off running and come right after me_

_It's what you do_

_And I don't deserve you_

“She was going to ask you to come and help me with Mark and Nicole.”

            “Why did she say _she_ needed me then?”

“Because I told her to say that.”

            “Why?”

Charlie paused, carefully hauling Meryl into their famous Scheherazade lift. “I didn’t think you'd agree if she told you I needed you.”

_I don't deserve a chance like this_

_I don't deserve a love that gives me everything_

_You're everything I want_

            “Why would you think that? Charlie, of course I would’ve! I love helping out here, you know that!”

 “Just…meet me in my office after this, alright?” Meryl nodded. Had she said something wrong?

 

_I don't deserve your love_

_But you give it to me anyway_

_Can't get enough_

_You're everything I need_

_And when I walk away_

_You take off running and come right after me_

_It's what you do_

_And I don't deserve you_

_And I don't deserve you_

 

They hit an end pose, and Mark and Nicole, along with the others around the rink, stared in shock and amazement. After the claps had died down a bit, Charlie skated off to the exit, and Meryl leaned against the boards to catch her breath.

            “Take a 10-minute break, we’ll be right back,” Meryl said to an awestruck Mark and Nicole, who nodded feebly.

* * *

            Meryl knocked on the office door. “Charlie?” when there wasn’t a reply, Meryl cautiously opened the door, seeing Charlie leaning over his desk, his hands holding his head as if he were in pain. Meryl noticed his breathing had gotten heavier. Could he be crying? No, Charlie never cried. Not that she knew of, anyway. “Charlie?” she asked again. “Are you—”

Charlie took her by surprise by bringing her into one of the tightest hugs he'd ever given her, nuzzling his chin in the crook of her neck. “I missed you so much.”

Meryl couldn’t help but feel guilty. After all she’d put him through, he never stopped loving her. She knew she didn’t deserve him, but he was hers, so she must have done something right. She hugged him back, equally as tight, her cheek leaning on his shoulder. “I missed you too.”

 

 


	25. It Will Be Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meryl and Charlie receive long awaited news that could either be the best or worst thing to happen to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you may or may not have realized, but this story is almost over! After this chapter, there's only 5 more! I want to post the finale on Tuesday, so you can expect another update tonight. Thank you so much for reading this whole thing!

Meryl slowly pulled away from Charlie and looked him in the eye. “I was afraid you'd changed your mind.”

           Charlie shook his head. “I was scared _you_ changed your mind! Hell, I was scared out of my mind.”

Meryl smiled weakly. “Why did you think I would change my mind?”

           Charlie shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe you would go back to Maks.” Meryl's face went cold. “Sorry.”

Meryl nodded slowly. “It’s okay. It’s almost over.”

           “Almost?”

“He's trying to get full custody of both the girls,” Meryl explained. “Which is stupid, because…” she trailed off, staring at the button on Charlie’s shirt.

           Charlie nodded in understanding. It didn’t have to be said. “What about Sara?” From outside, they could hear the soft buzz of the music that filled the rink, one of the junior teams in the middle, skating along.

 

_If you hear a voice in the middle of the night_

_Saying it'll be all right_

_It will be me_

_If you feel a hand guiding you along_

_When the path seems wrong_

_It will be me_

“That’s where the fight is. He’s always traveling, and the most he ever stays in one place is a week. I don’t think the judge will rule in his favor. But still, you know how Maks is. He won’t go down without a fight.”

           “Same with Tanith.”

Meryl raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

           “She wants full custody of Arya,” Charlie said mockingly, as if the idea itself was preposterous.

“I’m sorry,” Meryl replied, not knowing what else to say.

 

_If you hear a voice in the middle of the night_

_Saying it'll be all right_

_It will be me_

“She's not gonna get it,” Charlie declared. “She's not gonna get her. I won’t let her. I won’t let her take my little girl.”

Meryl was afraid to push the subject, be she felt like she had to. “What’s… what’s she using as her argument?” she asked awkwardly.

           Charlie rolled his eyes. “That’s the worst part. She claims you're a bad influence on her.”

"Your world would be easier if I hadn’t come back." It wasn’t a question.

           "That's true, but it wouldn't be my world without you in it."

_If you feel a hand guiding you along_

_When the path seems wrong_

_It will be me_

 

There was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Charlie said loudly.

           “Sorry to interrupt,” Paul announced sincerely. “But Meryl, it’s urgent.”

“What happened?” Charlie asked, concerned.

           “Charlie, don’t worry about it, I’ll be right back,” Meryl assured him.

“Do you know what this is about?”

           “Not a clue.”

_There is no mountain that I can't climb_

_For you I'd swim through the rivers of time_

_As you go your way and I go mine_

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

* * *

 

Meryl followed Paul into the hall inside the main entrance where Cheryl was holding onto a crying Ellie tightly as she tried to reach out to a scared Sara, who was trapped tightly in Maks’ arms.

           “What the hell is going on?” Meryl screeched.

“I told you it wasn’t over, Meryl. I'm not going down without a fight.”

           Meryl made her way over to her mother. “Go with Dad and take Ellie to Charlie's office,” Meryl whispered. “Tell him what's happening and call security.” She turned to Maks. “Let go of her, Maks,” she ordered as calmly as possible.

“No!” he barked. “She's my daughter, so I'm going to take her with me. She _is_ my daughter, right?” he asked sarcastically, in a mocking tone.

           That was the final straw. Meryl lunged forward and held onto Sara’s tiny torso, and Sara wrapped her shaking fingers around her mother’s neck. “Maks, I'm going to tell you one more time. Let go of her. It’s the judge’s decision now. There's nothing either of us can do to change that decision. Let. Her. Go.”

“I'm not letting you get away with this,” he warned, still refusing to release a struggling Sara.

           “With what? Saving a five-year-old from traveling nonstop and changing schools every two days? Because that’s what would happen if you had her, Maks. You and I both know it.”

“But if you get her she won’t see me at all!”

           _“She already doesn’t see you at all!”_

Maks set Sara onto the ground. “Sara, honey, go say hi to Marina or something. I need to talk to your mom.” Maks didn’t have to say it twice; Sara was already halfway out the door.

           “You _can’t_ put her through this, Maks.”

“Why shouldn’t I fight for her? So that I can’t ever see her again? Am I expected to just disappear?”

           “When she turns 18 she will choose if she wants to see you. You'll be able to see her before then. Birthdays, Christmas, Father’s Day…but not unless me or someone I trust is there with you.”

“Oh, so you're saying so you don’t trust me with her?”

           “After what just happened, why should I?” Maks said nothing. “Security is on their way,” she informed him simply. “Until the judge makes his decision, I wouldn’t stir up more trouble than you already have.” Meryl turned around and walked back to the rink, brushing away the tear that had formed in the corner of her eye.

_If there is a key that goes to your heart_

_A special part_

_It will be me_

_If you need a friend_

_Call out to the wind_

_To hold you again_

_It will be me_

           Meryl walked back to Charlie's office, where he was sitting on the small couch, consoling a crying Ellie.

“Is everything okay?” Charlie asked worriedly. “What happened?”

           “Nothing,” Meryl replied, almost inaudibly. “Nothing. Everything's fine.”

“You're lying. Don’t lie to me, Mer. You know it does no good.”

           “How do you know I'm lying?”

"I know you better than I know myself."

           Meryl hesitated. “He's just not accepting that he most likely won’t see her as often until she's 18,” Meryl told him as delicately as she could without Ellie inquiring further.

“Has the judge made his decision yet?”

           She shook her head. “The lawyer says a definite decision has to be in today, though. And she’ll call me when it is.”

“No, you can’t go in there!” they heard a voice cry from outside. “You can’t go in there!”

           Sure enough, the door burst open, and in walked in an infuriated Tanith. Meryl, upon instinct, went to the couch and protectively wrapped her arms around Ellie. “I need to talk to you,” she barked at Charlie.

_Oh how the world seems so unfair_

_Creating a love that cannot be shared_

_As you go your way and I go mine_

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

 

_Past the ever after there's a place for two_

_In your tears of laughter_

_I'll be there for you_

* * *

 

Charlie motioned for her to step into the hall, the expression on his face one of annoyance and irritation. “What do you want, Tanith?”

           “My lawyer just called. I don’t get any custody of Arya? You filed for full custody? Are you _serious_?”

“I don’t think it benefits Arya that you're always leaving town to do coverage jobs,” Charlie answered plainly.

           “I do coverage jobs to earn money so I can _provide_ for Arya,” Tanith argued.

“Actually, _my_ job pays for all of Arya’s things. All you’ve ever gotten from your coverage jobs you’ve spent on your shopping trips.”

           “That’s not true. We got Arya separate birthday presents last year.”

“Okay, fine, one thing over the past seven years.”

           “Why are you doing this, Charlie?”

“I want the best for my daughter.”

           “Charlie, come on, I need to see her!”

“You will. On her birthday, on Christmas, and Mother’s Day. You'll see her.”

           “But I'm her mother!”

“Then act like it.” Tanith paused awkwardly. “You lost, Tanith. You're done. Don’t make it a bigger deal than it is.” He walked away, leaving Tanith in a state of embarrassment and outrage.

 

_In the sun and the moon_

_In the land and the sea_

_Look all around you_

_It will be me_

“Hey, Elle,” he greeted Ellie, who was stretching with Nicole on the ground. “Weren’t you with your mom?”

           “She got an important call and told me to wait outside.”

“Oh, okay.” Then it hit him. An important call. An _important call._ Her lawyer. She was either about to get the best news she’d gotten in a while, or the worst news of her life. Cautiously, he brought his hand to the doorknob and twisted the handle.

_There is no mountain that I can't climb_

_For you I'd swim through the rivers of time_

_As you go your way and I go mine_

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

_It will be me_

_It will be me..._

* * *

 

           “Okay, great. Thank you so much for calling, Janice. Yeah, I will. Okay. Bye.” Meryl pressed the ‘end’ button and tossed her phone onto the couch and rested her head between her hands.

“Hey,” Charlie said carefully, trying not to scare her, and trying to hide his smile in case she’d gotten bad news. “Was that your lawyer?”

           Meryl turned and nodded, her eyes filled with tears. “Yeah.”

“And? How'd it go? What'd she say?”

Meryl ran to Charlie and hugged him, her breath staggering and her shoulders bouncing rapidly. “It’s over. It's all over.”

 _Crap,_ thought Charlie. _That can’t be good._ “It…it is?”

           Meryl nodded against his neck. “Yeah. The judge ruled in my favor. It’s all over. I’m completely free. I can do what I want with the girls. It’s over. It's finally over.”

Charlie tightened his grip around her waist as a wave of relief came over him. They were both free. They could now pick up where they had left off eight years before. And this time, nothing would be in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidenote: this chapter was extremely intense and it was very tough for me to write, especially the scene with Maks and the ending. I went through a personal situation similar to these. If you're wondering why I wrote that the way I did, it's because I based Sara on myself, and Meryl's reaction at the end to one of my own.


	26. Stuck Like Glue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa drags Meryl, Charlie, and Scott to a last night out before the wedding, but when plans go awry, Team Canton still finds a way to make the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So of course I added Team Canton in this because who doesn't love Team Canton. The countdown to the final chapter has begun. :')  
> Reminder: here, Meryl and Charlie tied in the DWTS finale. In case you've forgotten since Chapter 1 (:

“This is gonna be _so_ fun!” Tessa squealed, popping into the backseat.

           “Tess, you used to dance for a living,” Charlie reminded her from the passenger seat with a laugh. “We’re only taking away the flooring you're used to.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “Yeah, this coming from a Ballroom Champion.”

           “Remind me why we couldn’t just go to dinner?” Scott whined, getting into the driver’s seat.

“Be _cause_ , Scotty, I'm the bride! And I want to go dancing! Besides, if we had gone to dinner, we all know Mama Bear Meryl over here would’ve made us choose a kid-friendly restaurant.”

           “Hey!” Meryl complained.

“You know I'm right,” Tessa argued.

           “You are not. Scott?”

“She's right,” Scott called back.

           “Charlie?”

“I think it would be wise of me to sit this one out,” Charlie replied, stifling a laugh.

           “I hate you all,” Meryl said stubbornly, leaning back into her seat and crossing her arms.

“Except Charlie. Because you love Charlie,” Scott teased, winking at her through the rearview mirror.

           “Oh, shut up and drive, Moir,” Meryl grumbled, kicking the back of his seat.

* * *

When they got to the club, the neon lights were out, which wasn’t a good sign. Meryl was secretly relieved, Scott was bracing himself for the unveiling of bridezilla-Tessa, and Charlie was prepared to sit back and watch it all play out.

           “Excuse me, excuse me,” Tessa called out to the security guard out front.

“Club’s closed, ma’am,” he guard called back, not looking up from his phone.

           “What do you mean it’s closed? It’s supposed to be open till three AM!”

“Three AM?” Meryl shrieked.

           “Oh please, you still went to college, Mer,” Tessa retorted.

“We had a roach problem. Had to close early,” the guard informed them plainly.

           “So where you expect us to go? Home?” bridezilla-Tessa was slowly hatching, and everyone around her could feel it.

The guard sighed, clearly annoyed. “If you really want to do something, go to the roller center across the street. You guys are those ice skaters, right? Yeah you'll have fun there, then.”

 The four, seeing they wouldn’t get into the club, made their way across the street and entered the arena, seeing dozens of people skating on the glossy wood. Had they not known it was a roller center, they would’ve thought it was the Arctic Edge.

           “Should we?” Scott asked.

“Charlie, no butterfly jumps,” Meryl warned.

           Charlie rolled his eyes. _“Fine,”_ he whined.

Meryl giggled. “You sound like your daughter.”

           Scott snorted. “Which one?” the other three all gave him a look. Charlie's of embarrassment, Tessa's of silent reprimanding, and Meryl's was nothing short of a death glare. “Let’s get going!” he said cheerily, skating off quickly and crashing into the boards.

“You okay, Scotty?” Tessa called out.

           “It’s the wood! Or the wheels! I'm not sure. It’s just not ice.”

“You moron,” Tessa snickered, pulling him up. “Come on. Dance with me. Next song. Dance battle.”

 

_Absolutely no one that knows me better_

_No one that can make me feel so good_

_How did we stay so long together?_

_When everybody, everybody said we never would_

_And just when I, I start to think they're right_

_That love has died..._

_There you go making my heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again_

_There you go making me feel like a kid_

_Won't you do it and do it one time?_

_There you go pulling me right back in,_

_Right back in,_

_Right back in_

_And I know I'm never letting this go_

_I'm stuck on you_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby we're stuck like glue_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby we're stuck like glue_

Meryl and Charlie watched them from outside the boards as Tessa and Scott danced in sync, trying to ignore how hard it really was for them not to have ice under their boots and blades under their feet.

_Some days I don't feel like trying_

_Some days you know I wanna just give up_

_When it doesn't matter who's right, fight about it all night_

_Had enough_

_You give me that look_

_"I'm sorry baby let's make up"_

_You do that thing that makes me laugh_

_And just like that..._

_There you go making my heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again_

_There you go making me feel like a kid_

_Won't you do it and do it one time_

_There you go pulling me right back in,_

_Right back in,_

_Right back in_

_And I know I'm never letting this go_

“Tess, I’m gonna fall, I'm gonna fall!” Scott warned.

           “The hell you won’t! Not when you can pull me down with you!”

The duo spun around, grabbing onto each other for dear life before they both collapsed in the middle, and proceeded to burst out in laughter.

“We need professionals out here,” Scott sighed.

           “Hey!” Tessa yelled to the boards. “Mirror Ball Champs! Get your asses out here!”

_I'm stuck on you_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby we're stuck like glue_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby were stuck like glue…_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me together, say, it's all I wanna do_

Meryl and Charlie slowly made their way onto the floor, not wanting to reignite bridezilla-Tessa's fire.

           “We don’t know how to do this, either,” Meryl insisted.

Scott snorted. “Oh, please. You have countless medals from skating on a slipperier surface—”

           “So do you!” Charlie interrupted.

“—and you have a giant-ass trophy from dancing on wood!” he finished.

           Meryl and Charlie gave each other a look and shrugged. Waiting for the next beat of the song, they pushed off, going in circles around the rink. Tessa and Scott stayed on the ground, watching in awe.

_There you go making my heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again_

_There you go making me feel like a kid_

_Won't you do it and do it one time_

_There you go pulling me right back in,_

_Right back in,_

_Right back in_

_And I know I'm never letting this go_

* * *

 

Just when they seemed to get the hang of it and Tessa and Scott were prepared to buy them a plastic medal from the shop and give them an A for effort, Meryl and Charlie attempted a step sequence, which they had always been able to pull off flawlessly. But they were used to thin blades, not bulky wheels. So they came crashing down, slamming straight into Tessa and Scott.

_There you go making my heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again,_

_Heart beat again_

_There you go making me feel like a kid_

_Won't you do it and do it one time_

_There you go pulling me right back in,_

_Right back in,_

_Right back in_

_And I know I'm never letting this go_

_I'm stuck on you_

Meryl, Charlie, and especially Scott all feared Tessa would blow, but instead, she fell down even further in laughter. “I think we should stick to ice.”

           “I second that,” Meryl declared, swinging her leg around and off Charlie's neck, accidentally elbowing Scott in the rib in the process. “Oh, shit, sorry Scott.”

“God, are we glued together or something?” Scott muttered, trying to play off the sting in his ribs.

           “Get real, Scott. We’ve been glued together since we were nineteen.”

“Ex _cuse_ me, I was seventeen,” Tessa clarified with a smile.

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby we're stuck like glue_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby were stuck like glue_

_Stuck like glue_

_You and me baby we're stuck like glue_

           “Alright, little Miss Seventeen,” Meryl teased. “I’m done for the night. I think Scott’s rib is too.”

“Team Canton, out!” Scott agreed.

           Charlie ginned widely. “Copy that.”


	27. Wouldn't Want It Any Other Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tessa and Scott's wedding day is finally here...and a proclamation regarding Meryl and Charlie is made at the reception.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh three chapters left! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed writing this story, reading your comments, and seeing how many people loved it! It's hard to see it come to an end!

“I can’t do this, oh, God, I can’t do this, oh, God.” Tessa was hyperventilating as she paced back and forth, fanning her face with her hands.

            “Of course you can,” Meryl soothed. “You love Scott, and he loves you. Even _I_ wasn’t this nervous on my wedding day! Tess, you'll be fine!”

“Yeah that’s because you weren’t marrying your soul mate,” Tessa muttered. Meryl gave her a look. “Sorry.”

            There was a knock at the door. “Can I come in?” the voice asked.

“Is it Scott?” Meryl called out.

            “No, Charlie.”

“Come in then.”

           Charlie cracked open the door and felt his jaw nearly hit the floor. Meryl was sitting on the chair by the window, the sunlight reflecting off her face and shining off her hair. Her pale pink dress was sprawled gracefully at her feet, and her chin was perched on her arm, which was positioned on the armrest. “Y-You…look amazing, Mer.”

Meryl smiled humbly. “Have you seen Tessa?”

           Charlie looked at Tessa for the first time since he had walked in. Thankfully, she was too nervous to notice that someone complimented the maid of honor before the bride. “You look incredible! Scott is going to freak when he sees you, Tess.”

“I’m not ready, I’m not ready,” Tessa repeated, shaking her arms out rapidly.

           “Tessa, listen to me. It’ll be fine. I was a little nervous on my wedding day, too. But I got over it.”

 _“Because you weren’t marrying your soul mate, either!”_ Tess screeched. Meryl's and Charlie's eyes widened in fear. Tessa was at her boiling point. “Jesus _Christ_! How hard is it to understand! You're both divorced, because you didn’t marry the right person. Scott _is_ the right person, and I’m scared out of my fucking mind!” Meryl's and Charlie's eyes grew even wider, realizing the severity of Tessa’s nerves. Tessa _never_ cursed.

           “Okay, Tessa, calm down,” Charlie comforted. “You love Scott, and he loves you. Everyone’s known this since before you were teenagers, all right? You're right; Meryl and I didn’t marry our soul mates. But you _are._ That’s why you shouldn’t worry. Okay?”

Tessa nodded. “Okay.”

           “Great, because it’s time.” 

* * *

 Sara skipped down the aisle first, tossing tulip petals in her wake. Ellie and Arya followed, trying to look more grown up then Sara did. Maia and Alex began the small procession of the bridesmaids, Alex nudging a fidgeting Scott before taking his spot. Meryl and Charlie were next, and they received not-so-discreet looks from the guests. It may have been Tessa and Scott’s wedding, but Meryl and Charlie couldn’t deny how natural it felt to walk down that carpeted floor together. Tessa, the grand finale, began making her way down the aisle, and Charlie swore Scott thought he was dreaming. When she reached him, she gave him a timid smile and took his hands in hers.

           “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” the priest began. Tessa and Scott beamed at each other with a look nothing short of bliss and happiness, trying very hard to pay attention to the priest.

Meryl rolled back on her heels, noticeably starting to get bored, and Charlie tried to stifle his laugh. _What?_ Meryl thought, giving him a look.

 _Are you bored?_ He taunted with a smile.

           _Oh, like you aren’t,_ she shot back.

 _I wonder who'll be next_ , he teased, winking.

           Meryl shrugged. _Can we get through this wedding before placing out bets, please?_

Charlie pretended to roll his eyes. _Ugh, fine. But I think I’ll win._

           Meryl raised an eyebrow. _Oh really? And who exactly would you be betting on?_

Before Charlie could reply, they heard the preacher announce, “By the power invested in me, by the state of Michigan, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.” Scott wasted no time in taking Tessa into his arms, and Meryl and Charlie, along with everyone else in the room, began clapping.

           “At least half of these idiots came to their senses,” Alex whispered to Maia as they made their way on their second trip down the aisle, this time to the reception

Maia nodded back in agreement. “Now we just have to get the other two.”

           “I don’t think that'll take long,” Alex smirked, pointing to Meryl and Charlie, who were walking ahead of them, arm in arm, laughing.

Alex grinned mischievously, and Maia clapped excitedly. “Game on.”

* * *

 “It is my honor to present, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Moir!” Tessa and Scott walked hand in hand into the reception hall at the DJ’s announcement, and everyone clapped along.

            The song for their first dance came on, and everyone stood around the dance floor, watching Tessa and Scott.

_Without me_

_Maybe you'd find somebody else_

_A little wiser_

_With a lot more wealth_

_And without you_

_It's true I'd be free_

_To go chasing all my dreams_

_Without any strings_

_But I wouldn't want it any other way_

_Having you to come home to at the end of every day_

_Your tender touch puts a smile back on my face_

_Wouldn't want it any other way_

Comments like “Aww!” and “I’ve been waiting for this day since they were kids”, and “I told you they wouldn’t marry someone else first, you owe me fifty bucks”, began floating about, but still, Tessa and Scott were the only ones dancing.

 

_Hard times_

_May never let up on us_

_And maybe all we'll ever have_

_Will barely be enough_

_And babe you know_

_How cold the wind can blow_

_Love's never let us down_

_When we needed it the most_

_And I wouldn't want it any other way_

_Having you to come home to at the end of every day_

_Your tender touch puts a smile back on my face_

_Wouldn't want it any other way_

Meryl came over to Charlie, popping a mini hot dog in her mouth. “Did I miss anything?”

           Noticing she had come over, Charlie turned to her and looked straight to her hand before taking it and dragging a surprised and embarrassed Meryl to the floor next to the newlyweds.

“The Mirror Ball Champions have spoken!” Alex called out. “Time to dance!” Alex took Maia’s hand and led her into what looked like a 6-year-old child imitating a waltz, Maia laughing along at her brother’s goofiness.

           Meryl and Charlie smiled at their friends before turning to each other. “So,” Charlie began.

“So,” Meryl nodded awkwardly. “Who were you betting on to be the next ones up?”

Charlie pretended to think. “You know, Davis, I’m not gonna tell you!”

           Charlie laughed as Meryl gave him a staged face of shock and offense. “And why not, may I ask?”

“Well, first, because I don’t want to jinx whatever chance they have. And _two,_ you might steal my bet,” he teased.

           Meryl pretended to be appalled. “I would not!” Charlie raised his eyebrow. “Okay maybe. If they were likely!”

“I think it’s fair to say they are.”

_Your tender touch puts a smile back on my face_

_Wouldn't want it any other way_

_Wouldn't want it any other way_

_Any other way_

_You know I love you more each day_

_Any other way_

* * *

             “Mommy, Mommy, come on!” Sara pleaded, tugging on Meryl's dress. Meryl and Charlie sprung apart upon instinct, noticing they were the last ones on the dance floor.

“What's up, sweetheart?”

            “Aunt Tessa’s gonna throw the bouquet!” Ellie announced, and Sara glared at her.

Meryl laughed. “Do you want to try and catch it?”

            “No, you have to!” Arya exclaimed.

“Me? Why me? Who would _I_ marry?”

            “Charlie!” Sara blurted out, as if it was obvious.

“Uh…” it was hard to tell which was a darker shade of red: Meryl's and Charlie's faces, or her nails.

            “Come on, Mom, just try. It’ll be fun!”

“Oh, alright, fine!” Meryl rolled her eyes as the girls cheered.

            “Yes!” Arya cried as the girls started running towards the other end of the room. “Come on, Mom! I mean, Meryl!”

If Meryl and Charlie weren’t already in shock, they were even more so now. It wasn’t a secret that Arya preferred Meryl over Tanith, but they had never known on what level.

 

Meryl made her way over to the throng of female guests, all pushing and shoving.

            “Ready?” Tessa called over her shoulder. “1…2…3!” the pink roses flew over her head and into the air…and landed straight in Meryl's hands.

Scott and Alex, who were standing on either side of a dumbfounded Charlie, burst out laughing, elbowing him in the ribs. Meryl stared with wide eyes at the pleasant-smelling plants in her hands. Tessa and Maia, who were grabbing each other arms, jumped up and down in excitement. Arya, Ellie, and Sara ran around the reception hall screaming. Marina, Cheryl, and Jacqui were clapping excitedly, and Paul and Big Charlie clinked their beer glasses in celebration.

            Amidst all the commotion, Meryl slowly turned her head and her eyes met Charlie's, which seemed to have been waiting for her. Meryl shrugged, holding up the bouquet with a weak smile. Charlie grinned back so hard his cheeks began to hurt. Yeah, it was safe to say he would win that bet.


	28. Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prophecy of Tessa and Scott's wedding revisits Meryl and Charlie, leading to the ultimate moment of truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were worried I would throw another curveball, I'm not. This is absolutely 100% pure fluff. With that said, it's pretty sappy, enough to get me in tears, and I'm *writing* it. New chapter tonight, and then the finale tomorrow! Oh my goodness!

_Hi, this is Meryl Davis, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can._

            “Uh…hey, Mer. It’s Charlie. Well, you probably recognize my voice, I mean you put up with it for most of your life…but then again some people have said my voice sounds different on recordings…anyway—” _Beep._ “Dammit.”

_Hi, this is Meryl Davis, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can._

            “Hey, Mer, it’s me again, Charlie. Sorry about that other message, I kinda lost track of what I was saying…anyways I just wanted to—” _Beep._ “Son of a bitch!”

_Hi, this is Meryl Davis, leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can._

            “Mer, it’s Charlie. Apparently your machine doesn’t like me so I’ll make this quick. I just wanted to make sure you remembered that you and the girls are coming over tonight at 7. Bring Giselle. Call me back. Bye.” _Beep._ “Finally!”

* * *

 “Are you girls ready to go home?” Meryl asked through the rearview mirror.

            “What? No! We’re going to Daddy’s at 7, remember?” Ellie protested, the alarm evident in her voice.

Meryl laughed. “Don’t worry, I remember. He left me a message to make sure we didn’t forget. Well, three.”

            “Because he really wants you to go!” Sara explained.

Meryl smiled. “I can see that. I wonder why he’s so insistent on tonight,” Meryl pondered out loud.

“I bet it’s important,” Sara replied innocently.

            Meryl squinted at her daughter through the rearview mirror, and she hid her face in her stuffed dog, her pigtails falling over her shoulder. Before she could question her, Meryl Bluetooth beeped. “ _You have: 1 New Message,_ ” it announced. Meryl pressed play. “ _On Saturday, February 17 th, 2024 at 11:53, A.M:_”

Clayton’s voice filled the car. “Hey, Mer,” he began.

            “Uncle Clayton!” Sara exclaimed, recognizing the voice. Both her mother and her sister shushed her loudly, and she shrunk back, her chocolate brown eyes widening.

“Mom and Jacqui asked me to call you,” he continued. “And tell you to remember you need to go to Charlie's tonight. And to not forget Giselle. Also, happy ten year anniversary.”

            Meryl reflexively stomped on the break, the car swerving to a stop on the side of the road. “Anniversary?” she mumbled.

“It’s the seventeenth!” Sara exclaimed from her car seat.

            “ _Crap_ ,” she muttered under her breath. “Of course! Sochi! Is that why Charlie's so insistent on tonight?” she asked behind her.

“I’m actually not sure,” Ellie lied, but Meryl failed to catch on. “He didn’t say.”

            “Okay, so it’s what, 5:30 now? Do you girls want to go home and change?” the girls nodded. “Alright. Quickly, though.”

* * *

 “Mommy, I'm ready!” Sara called in a singsong voice, waltzing into Meryl's room.

            Meryl laughed. “Oh yeah? Well you look gorgeous,” she told her, taking her hand to twirl her around. Sara’s teal dress moved in a swift circle. “Elle, you ready?”

Ellie walked in in her ice blue dress, her blonde hair curled naturally over her shoulder. “Yep. What are _you_ gonna wear?”

            “I don’t know. Why don’t you girls pick something out for me?” before Meryl even finished her sentence, her daughters were already raiding her closet.

Meryl laughed as they pulled out a hanger, satisfied smiles on their faces. “This one,” Sara declared.

            “That one?” Meryl asked with a smile. Examining the dress, she realized it was her lilac dress with the lace on the top, with a simple line of rhinestones around the waist. She immediately caught on to what her daughters were doing, and she had to admit, they were pretty clever. Instead of pushing it, she decided to humor them. “Okay, sure. I love this one.” Ellie and Sara clapped happily. “Hair up or hair down?” she asked.

            “Up,” they replied in unison. Meryl smiled. Instead of doing her signature bun, she decided to surprise her daughters by twisting her hair in a Scheherazade bun.

She watched as Ellie and Sara’s jaws dropped to the ground. She laughed, pleased with their reaction. “Ready to go?” she asked. The girls nodded slowly and followed Meryl down the stairs and out the door. 

* * *

 When they arrived at Charlie and Arya’s, Sara rung the doorbell impatiently until it opened. Arya stood in the doorway in her teal dress, beaming, her blond curls cradling her chin. “Come in!” she greeted.

            Giselle immediately ran to the backyard. “Giselle!” Meryl called after her.

“Oh, DJ’s out there,” Arya mentioned.

            “Oh. I should probably take her leash off, anyway…” she began making her way to the backyard when Arya stood in front of her.

“No!” she cried, stopping her. “I mean…I think Dad’s out there. He’ll do it.”

            “Charlie's out there? Oh, I should probably go say hi.”

“No!” Arya cried again. Meryl raised her eyebrow suspiciously. “Uh…he’s setting up something, I think he said. Barbecue, I think? Anyways he said to stay here until he called us out.”

            “Okay…” Meryl said, puzzled, taking a seat slowly on the couch.

“Arya!” Charlie's voice echoed through the walls. “Ellie! Sara!”

            “What am I supposed to do, just wait here?” Meryl asked.

Arya looked from Meryl to the other girls and back before shrugging. “Yeah,” she replied bluntly.

            Meryl sighed and watched the three girls run off, their glossy hair bouncing behind them. _What could Charlie be doing?_ She wondered.

Before her thoughts could be pushed any further, Arya came bouncing back into the room. “You can come out now,” she told her with a megawatt smile.

           Meryl followed Arya cautiously to the backyard and gasped. There were paper lanterns hanging from the fence, twinkle lights hung on wires around the perimeter of the backyard. The table on the deck was set up with five plates, and in the middle were what seemed like countless dishes of Italian food. DJ and Giselle were sitting on the grass, tongues out and tails wagging, while the girls sat smiling on the deck chairs. She could hear a song play faintly from the stereo placed on the corner of the deck. In the middle of it all stood Charlie, in his dressy black pants and a white dress shirt, with a dark purple tie with golden swirls, smiled brightly, pleased with her reaction.

 

_I can't win, I can't reign_

_I will never win this game_

_Without you, without you_

_I am lost, I am vain,_

_I will never be the same_

_Without you, without you_

 

“Do you like it?”

           “Like it? Charlie, I love it!” Meryl exclaimed, as if it was obvious, running down the deck steps to give him a hug. Charlie smiled against her hair. “When did you do this?”

“I set it up this afternoon. I’ve been planning it for sixteen years.”

           “I thought this was for our Sochi anniversary,” Meryl questioned, beginning to grow suspicious.

Charlie tilted his head to the side and squinted. “ _Well…_ ”

           “Charlie…”

“Okay, _kinda._ ”

           “Kinda?”

_I won't run, I won't fly_

_I will never make it by_

_Without you, without you_

_I can't rest, I can't fight_

_All I need is you and I,_

_Without you, without you_

_You, you, you_

_Without..._

_You, you, you_

_Without...you_

 

Charlie ignored her pressing voice. “You love me, right?”

            “What? Charlie, of course I do. You know that.”

“And you know I love you, right?”

            “Yeah…”

Charlie smiled, relieved. “Good.”

            “Charlie, what's this about?”

Again, Charlie ignored her question. “Meryl, letting you leave ten years ago was the worst thing I’ve ever done.”

            “You couldn’t have known…” Meryl put in.

“But I could’ve stopped you,” he pointed out. “I could’ve given you a thousand reasons to stay, even when you only had one reason to go. You’ve always been my best friend, my partner in crime, and my soul mate.”

            “Charlie…” Meryl was beginning to catch on…or at least she _thought_ she was.

 

_Can't erase, so I'll take blame_

_But I can't accept that we're estranged_

_Without you, without you_

_I can't quit now, this can't be right_

_I can't take one more sleepless night_

_Without you, without you_  

* * *

 Charlie continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “I can’t say I'm still not sad that you _did_ leave, but I _can_ say I'm not mad at you for it. I don’t blame you at all. But I'm not willing to let that happen again. Hell, I'm not willing to even come _close_ to that again. So if, God forbid, there is a next time you feel like you need to leave, and you forget you're Meryl Davis, just remember I'm Charlie White and I love you. And that you don’t have to go, because I’ll keep you safe.”

_I won't soar, I won't climb_

_If you're not here, I'm paralyzed_

_Without you, without you_

_I can't look, I'm so blind_

_I lost my heart, I lost my mind_

_Without you, without you_

_You, you, you_

_Without..._

_You, you, you_

_Without...you_

* * *

 “I miss what we were ten years ago, I’ll admit. But I wouldn't change us. I wouldn’t change what we are now. Not if it meant losing what we have.”

            “What _do_ we have, Charlie?”

“Forever.” Meryl’s jaw dropped open without response. Charlie smiled timidly as he took Meryl's hands in his, kneeling onto the ground.

            “Oh, my God, Charlie…” Meryl was finally catching on.

Charlie's smile widened as he reached behind for his back pocket and pulled out a purple velvet box. “Meryl, will you marry me?”

            Meryl gasped, turning to look behind her at the three girls about to burst of anticipation, who nodded back eagerly. She locked eyes with Ellie, who winked back and nodded encouragingly. She turned back to Charlie, whose eyebrows were raised expectantly.

_I am lost, I am vain,_

_I will never be the same_

_Without you, without you_

_Without...you_

 

           “Yes,” she whispered, looking at hers and Charlie's interlocked hands, her brows furrowed. “Yes,” she repeated, louder, smiling as her head whipping up so her eyes met Charlie's. “Of course! Yes! A thousand times yes!” Charlie smiled so hard; his cheeks hurt so much he thought a tear might squeeze out. He picked up Meryl in a hug and spun her around, his hands tight around her waist and his chin burrowed in the crook of her neck. Meryl’s legs were propped up in the air, and her arms were clinched around his neck. “Yes,” she whispered again, laughing happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points if you can figure out why they were all dressed the way they were.


	29. Faithfully

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day everyone had been dreaming of for the past 10 years is finally here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations, you have officially survived the grueling emotional rollercoaster that was the angst in this story. However, that does not mean I'm finished with fluff. So that could either be good or bad for you, depending on how many tissues you normally use at times like these. Last chapter tomorrow holy crap!
> 
> Sidenote: I also have another storyline I was thinking about doing...which means another story. Should I write it?
> 
> Another sidenote: someone brought it to my attention that someone talked about what happened in the last chapter on Instagram. I'm not mad; I just hope it didn't spoil the story for anyone who hadn't read it yet!

_July 17 th, 2024_

 

           “Did you have to get married in the middle of _July_?” complained a very-pregnant Tessa from her seat in the bridal room as she fanned herself with her hands.

“It’s not that hot out, Tess. My hair hasn’t even frizzed!” Meryl replied.

           “Mine is starting to!” she whined.

“Because you won’t stop moving! And you're sitting in the sun!”

           “Why would you get married in the middle of the day? And why did you choose to have an outdoor wedding?”

Meryl rolled her eyes. “I’m not. I’m getting married at sunset.”

           “Then why am I already wearing my dress?” Tessa shrieked, her eyes going to the pale blue full-length gown she managed to squeeze into.

“Because you insisted that if you didn’t get dressed now it wouldn’t fit tonight!”

           Tessa gave her friend a look of pure alarm. “Meryl, I swear, I’m growing by the minute.”

“No, you're not. It’s all in your head,” she coaxed.

           “You know what's not in my head? The fact that this dress is way too small. And tight.”

“That’s because we got it before we knew you were pregnant,” Meryl reasoned.

           “Are you saying I'm fat?” Tessa demanded.

Meryl rolled her eyes. “No, Tess. I'm calling you _pregnant._ Trust me, when you get up and start walking around you won’t even notice it anymore.”

           “Because then I’ll notice my feet hurt,” she argued back.

Meryl sighed impatiently. “You can take them off at the reception.” Tessa smiled smugly, having gotten something to go her way. Meryl laughed at her, and Tessa threw a pillow at her head. “Watch the hair!” she cried, both her hands instinctively flying to her waterfall hairdo.

* * *

 “Dude, would you calm down?” Charlie asked, fixing his tie in the mirror and seeing Scott pace back and forth.

           “I can’t! What if Tess goes into labor?”

“Scott, come on. She’s not due for what, another month? Besides, Meryl's with her right now.”

           “Oh, yeah, that’s a great comfort Charlie. If that happens I might miss my own kid being born,” he retorted sarcastically.

“ _If_ that happens, you won’t miss it.”

           Scott snorted. “Yeah, this coming from the guy who didn’t know he had another daughter for eight years,” he mumbled. Charlie glared at him through the mirror. “Sorry. I’m scared, though! I haven’t been apart from her in the last eight months!”

“Don’t you think I should be more scared? I’m getting _married_ for Christ's sake!”

           “Oh, yeah, didn’t Tess yell at you and Meryl when you tried calming her down the day we got married?” he asked with a boisterous laugh.

Charlie returned the laugh. “Yeah, something about being nervous because she was marrying the right person.” His eyes widened. “ _Shit!_  Why am I not nervous, then? Meryl's _the_ one. I’m absolutely positive.”

           “Well, you are now,” Scott pointed out. “I wouldn’t live off of Tessa’s word, though. You know her. She’s superstitious and she overreacts at almost everything. Last week she started crying when she accidentally dropped her hat on the ground.”

* * *

 When the march began, Scott ran to Tessa’s side as soon as he could, locking her arm in his and walking her down the aisle. “Tess, are you okay?”

           Tessa rolled her eyes. “Scott, I’m not going to go into labor because first of all, I have a month left and second, I’m not going to make this a ‘lady goes into labor at a wedding’ day. Now stop worrying and smile,” she ordered through gritted teeth.

Arya and Sara walked down together smiling, the white daisies braided perfectly in their loose hair, DJ and Giselle trotting happily in front of them. Ellie, who was the star of the show, besides her parents, walked in next, a tiny daisy woven into her bracelet and another one woven in the side of her hair. She met Charlie's eyes and smirked at him, and he couldn’t help but grin back happily.

           Everyone stood up and turned around to watch Paul walk forward with a smug and proud smile, a beaming Meryl by his side, and an evident twinkle in her eyes. When father and daughter reached the altar, Charlie almost didn’t notice when Paul handed over Meryl to him, because he was already preoccupied with staring at the beauty that was in front of him. Just like she would be for the rest of their lives.

* * *

 As the priest began his sermon, Meryl and Charlie could vaguely hear a song, and they realized it was the DJ, testing out the sound system a couple yards away at the reception area.

 

_Highway run_

_Into the midnight sun_

_Wheels go round and round_

_You're on my mind_

_Restless hearts_

_Sleep alone tonight_

_Sending all my love_

_Along the wire_

The priest signaled for Charlie to begin his vows, and he took a deep breath before taking Meryl's hands in his.

           “I could go on about how much I loved you when we were kids, I could go on about how long I’ve wanted to do this with you. But I won’t. Because you know that already. Ten years ago, I thought I had lost you forever. But then two years ago, I got a second chance. As hard as those eight years were for me, I’m glad I went through them. Because now, we have three amazingly clever daughters and two incredible dogs to come along for the ride because of it. And I have you. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

_They say that the road_

_Ain't no place to start a family_

_Right down the line_

_It's been you and me_

_And loving a music man_

_Ain't always what it's supposed to be_

_Oh, girl, you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours_

_Faithfully_

The priest then signaled to Meryl, and she smiled weakly, briefly squeezing Charlie hands before opening her mouth to speak.

           “Ten years ago, I made the worst decision I had ever made in my life. For the longest time, I couldn’t live with myself for doing that to us. And even after all that time, I didn’t know if I wanted to come back. Because for some stupid reason, part of me thought you forgot about me. But I did come back. And it’s the best thing I ever did. Because it brought me back to you. And that’s how it’s gonna be for the rest of our lives. It’s you and me against the world.”

_Circus life_

_Under the big top world_

_We all need the clowns_

_To make us smile_

_Through space and time_

_Always another show_

_Wondering where I am_

_Lost without you_

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Those were the only words of confirmation they needed. Meryl broke out into an even bigger smile than she already had, and Charlie wasted no time in waiting for the priest’s next line before taking Meryl in his arms and kissing her soundly, the crowd clapping on cue.

_And being apart_

_Ain't easy on this love affair_

_Two strangers learn to fall in love again_

_I get the joy of rediscovering you_

_Oh, girl, you stand by me_

_I'm forever yours_

_Faithfully_

* * *

 “Mission accomplished,” Maia declared proudly, fist-bumping her older brother as they walked arm in arm back down the aisle to the reception.

           “I told you it wouldn’t take that long!” Alex replied smugly.

“It was almost a year!” Maia argued.

           “Would you have preferred it be ten more?” Alex tested. Maia shook her head furiously, her eyes widening. Alex laughed. “Exactly.”

 

“This the best day of my life!” Marina cried excitedly, bouncing happily to the reception.

           “Hey, what about _our_ wedding day?” Scott half-protested, half-teased.

“Oh, hush, hush. Both of you married all in one year. Let Marina have her fun.”

           Scott rolled his eyes and Tessa smiled fondly at him, laughing at his childishness.

 

_Faithfully_

_I'm still yours_

* * *

 Meryl leaned her head on Charlie's shoulder and wrapped her hands around his forearm as they made their way to the reception.

           “I’m so glad this is over,” Charlie said suddenly.

“Excuse me?” Meryl said, alarmed, her head whipping up so she was looking at him dead in the eye.

           “Not the wedding! No! I mean the past ten years. Not being with you the way we used to be…I felt like I was dying inside. Like I couldn’t breathe unless you were here.”

Meryl gingerly rested her chin on Charlie's shoulder, pulling one hand down to intertwine with his. “Well, I'm not going anywhere. You’ve got me for the long haul.”

           “And I'm so glad I do,” he said, pressing his forehead to hers.

_I'm forever yours_

_Ever yours_

_Faithfully_


	30. It Had To Be You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The only way Meryl and Charlie's wedding day could be any more perfect was if the bride and groom had a moment to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter!!! Wow!! Thank you so much for coming along for the ride. I got the idea for this chapter about a month ago when one of my favorite shows ended, and the song I used was played in the final scene. So, here we go. Exactly three months since this story began, without further ado... the final chapter.

“Oh, my God I’ve been waiting for this day ever since week three,” Sharna exclaimed, coming up to hug the newlyweds from behind.

            “Sharna!” Meryl squealed, returning the hug.

“I can’t believe it took you this long,” she scolded, smacking the back of Charlie's head with her palm.

            “Ow!” he complained, rubbing the inflicted spot.

Sharna rolled eyes and turn to Meryl. “Good luck with this one. I almost didn’t survive nine weeks. But if you survived 27 years if anyone can handle it it’s you.” Meryl laughed loudly and Charlie stuck his tongue out at Sharna before she smiled innocently and bounced off.

            Charlie opened his mouth to speak when Marina came over, announcing, “I never been so proud of you in my life!”

“That’s hard to believe,” Charlie teased as he and Meryl leaned in to hug their coach. Marina slapped his arm. “Why am I getting hit so many times?”

            “Because you deserve it. And Meryl not gonna stop anyone.”

Charlie turned to Meryl with his eyebrows raised expectantly and hopefully. Meryl tauntingly avoided his gaze, and he rolled his eyes.

            “Don’t mess up this time,” Marina warned, before walking away.

This time, Meryl was about to speak when their parents came over in a hurry.

            “My babies!” Cheryl cried, pulling them down into a tight hug.

“I'm so happy for you two,” Jacqui added, joining the group hug.

            Paul and Big Charlie came over from behind, their arms reaching all the way around the Moms’. “I’ve been waiting for this since you were ten years old,” Paul managed to say, trying very hard not to cry.

“And _I_ was counting down the days for the past ten year,” Big Charlie continued.

            Meryl and Charlie couldn’t even get a word out above all their parents’ chatting, until Clayton came over and convinced them to go dance, shooting Meryl an ‘I got your back, sis’ wink, to which Meryl replied by putting her hand over her chest and mouthing, “Thanks, Clay.”

“Now,” Charlie spoke loudly, clearing his throat. “Before we have any _more_ interruptions, how about we take a walk?” Meryl smiled and nodded, taking his hand in hers.

* * *

 It was nighttime by now, so the sky was completely dark, the area only illuminated by the twinkle lights around the canopies and the fireflies passing by, and the soft music being played as couples throughout the area danced to the calming sound of Frank Sinatra.

 

_Why do I do just as you say_

_Why must I just give you your way_

_Why do I sigh_

_Why don't I try to forget_

 

Meryl and Charlie snuck away behind the big bushes, where there was a circular platform, above it a floral gazebo; yellow twinkle lights interwoven with the flowers. The warm, gentle wind passed by their faces, sending a refreshing breeze through them as they walked, kicking the grass in front of them as they went. Their fingers were intertwined, their arms swinging back and forth in between them.

_It must have been_

_That something lovers call fate_

_Kept me saying: ‘I had to wait’_

_I saw them all, just couldn't fall 'til we met_

Charlie came to a halt, and Meryl turned to him, her eyebrow raised quizzically. Charlie hesitated before looking at her with a bright smile. “Dance with me,” he said simply.

            Meryl laughed lightly. “What?”

“Dance with me,” he repeated, his smile growing wider.

        Meryl hesitated before she took Charlie’s outstretched hand, and joined him on the circular platform.

* * *

  _t had to be you_

_It had to be you_

_I wandered around_

_And finally found the somebody who_

_Could make me be true_

_And could make me be blue_

_And even be glad_

_Just to be sad_

_Thinking of you_

It started off as a romantic slow dance, but then Charlie, being Charlie, began busting out his old waltz moves from their DWTS, adding his own dramatic flair to it by singing along.

_Some others I've seen_

_Might never be mean_

_Might never be cross_

_Or try to be boss_

_But they wouldn't do_

He twirled Meryl around, and her dress curled around her ankles as he did. She laughed as she tried to be in tune with him as he danced in circles around her.

_For nobody else gave me a thrill_

_With all your faults_

_I love you still_

 

Getting serious once more, Charlie led Meryl back into their waltz, sensing the song coming to a close. He put an arm around her waist and dipped her backwards, her hair hanging in the warm summer air.

 

_It had to be you_

_Wonderful you_

Meryl smiled happily, and Charlie brought his cheek to hers, singing the last line in a soft whisper by her ear.

 

_“It had to be you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I noticed some people on tumblr were wondering if I had a tumblr, and I do. It's sparklysophie. Feel free to talk to me about this story, future stories, or about anything else!


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